Trails of Zephyr
by rikotch
Summary: A collection of omakes and side stories. Fluff involved. Mostly Fie. (Chapter 21- Wonderland)
1. Chapter 1

**FRAGMENT CHAPTER I: Alarm Clock**

* * *

A trickle of sunlight bathed the small Eastern styled room. Specks of dust flitted about as the rays of the early morning sun reflected off the 50 mira coin on the desk. The temperature in early morning Ymir was usually unbearable, but the Goddess Aidios had blessed the day with warm, clear skies and a soft, cool breeze of the fresh mountain air.

With his raven hair a mess, Rean Schwarzer curled up more into his blanket. Eyes still shut from the late night he had, he mumbled incoherently in his sleep.

A finger poked him on his cheek.

"Rean."

"Mh…" Rean mumbled again as he shifted to his back. His mind tried to piece together the remnants of the wonderful dream he just had.

Another finger to his cheek. He grumbled as it poked his head to the side.

Growing more cognizant now, Rean twitched his hands in an attempt to wake himself up. His laziness won out after a few attempts as his limbs refused to respond. He felt another vestige of sleep overwhelm his consciousness.

Muffled footsteps. Rean paid it no heed as he closed his lips and breathed deeply. He heard the faint clink of metal, recognizing it as the sound of his room being locked. Whoever it was beside him just now probably had left.

A peaceful silence. Rean turned his head to the other side as he opened his eyes the tiniest bit.

Muted thumping noises assaulted his ears. Rean could make out the figure of a white-clad woman running towards him. With a huff, the woman leapt mid-run and spun in the air.

His bed creaked as a bracer-sized weight flopped itself on top of his torso, knocking the air out of his lungs. Rean blinked as a mess of silver hair filled his vision. Playful, lime-green eyes stared at him.

"Hey, sleepyhead. It's morning." Fie cocked her head as she regarded the violently awoken man with an innocent smile.

With a groan, Rean reached for his ARCUS laying atop his bedside drawer. Flipping it open, his half-lidded eyes analyzed the numbers displayed on the screen.

"Fie… it's thirty minutes till seven. It's a bit early, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to get a head start," the bracer said. "Auntie Lucia's making breakfast already and I wanted to get some exercise before then."

"Can't you go by yourself…?"

"C' mon Rean. You promised." Fie pouted at the man. She snuggled closer, pressing her body down to his while she pleaded.

Rean sighed before grinning at the needy woman on top of him. He brushed her hair, "You know, you really should act cute like this more often. It suits you."

"I'm _always _cute," Fie said haughtily with a light tinge to her cheeks.

"Alright, alright, you win. I'll get up."

Fie rested her head on his chest as Rean continued to pet the cat-like girl. She purred as her silver mane entangled with his fingers, "Well… if you want to, we could just stay like this instead. I locked the door~"

The smell of fragrant shampoo caressed his nose as Fie nuzzled her face to his neck. Her warm breath tickled his skin as Rean hugged the girl out of habit, his hand still stroking her head.

He didn't mind the bliss. It's been months since they could spend time alone like this. The two cuddled in silence as the minutes ticked on. Rean held his beloved partner closer, sleep tempting his mind again.

...

"Let me go get changed. I'll meet you downstairs."

Green eyes blinked before a smirk danced upon Fie's lips. The mischievous woman leaned closer to him as her fingers started to unbutton his pajamas.

"I-I can do it myself. Thank you," Rean blurted out, a massive blush burning on his face.

"Boo."

* * *

**Boo indeed. I will never write smut don't worry. The best ship moments are the wholesome ones.**

**These will be a collection of omakes and other stuff and ideas branching out from my (current) main fic 'The Dark Prince'. Some are canon to that fic, some probably won't. But most will be Rean x Fie.**

**Tbh I just really wanted to write some fluff. Hope you enjoyed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fragment Chapter II: Gate of Avalon**

* * *

"And use a Force here."

"Yes ma'am." With a tap of a button, their score of fifteen doubled to thirty, well above their opponent's seventeen. A congratulatory ring sounded out as the words "_You Win" _appeared on the ARCUS' screen.

"Told you I'm awesome," Fie said with a fluttering sense of pride in her tone. She leaned her head more to Rean's shoulder.

He tilted his brow in response, "Last time I checked, our score was forty to thirty-seven. In favor of me."

"Psh, those last three wins were a fluke. You got lucky."

"Nobody likes a sore loser~"

"Oh shut up," Fie said, pulling on the cheek of her favorite playmate.

It really was a fluke though. No way did Rean anticipate her master plan three times in a row. Countering with a Mirror was cheating.

Cheek pulling aside, they snuggled closer together under their blanket. A light rain drizzled outside the _Phoenix Wings_, so the two decided to spend their evening in front of the fireplace_._ A rogue invitation from a certain ex-terrorist however, led them into the fierce marathon of 'Blade' they were in right now.

"Still can't believe Towa made this playable on our ARCUS," Fie said. "I knew she was something, but I wasn't expecting her to be a gamer _or_ a programmer too."

Rean pressed the 'Accept Rematch' button. Several cards appeared on his side of the screen as the first draw of cards signaled the start of the match. "She's had help from Crow and George if I remember correctly. And quite honestly, considering Sharon exists, I'm not surprised."

"Some people have _all _the talent, don't they? Bolt." With swift divine justice, their opponent's early strategy of spamming high numbered cards was curbed instantaneously. After another win, they were brought back to the home screen of the game app. "What's with the name change though?"

In the middle of the screen was the title 'Gate of Avalon' in dark red print. Rean issued another rematch before responding, "I'm not sure, probably to market it. It'd sell better with a cooler and a catchier name than 'Blade.'"

"Kinda miss the old designs too…" Fie pouted. She stared at the cards in their hand. The new images were those of ash-colored staves, rapiers, hammers, and even a weird gauntlet sword-like weapon. "Ah, two Forces."

After the duo's seventh straight win, a call rang through Rean's ARCUS, breaking their streak. The caller ID showed a familiar name.

"Speaking of," Rean said before answering the call and bringing up the live video feed. "Hey Towa, what's up?"

The brown haired instructor smiled bashfully at her colleague, "Oh nothing~ I heard there was a storm in North Erebonia and I wanted to check up on you. Seems everything's fine though."

"Thanks for the concern." The younger instructor smiled in return. "The rain wasn't so bad. Just cold is all."

"Oh thank goodness… And I see Fie's there with you too. Hello Fie~" The kind-hearted woman waved, which appeared more like a child waving towards her mother more than anything.

"Hey."

"I wasn't interrupting something, was I?"

"You're good," Fie reassured her worried looking senior.

"Actually, we were just talking about you," Rean piped up.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you never told us you could play 'Blade,'" Fie said.

"Or that you were proficient in software programming," Rean added.

"...huh?" The petite woman gawked at the two.

A ring on Fie's ARCUS interrupted their conversation. Flipping it open, a frustrated voice yelled from the tiny speakers.

"Yo Rean! What's with the holdup? Don't think I'll let you get away while you're ahead. I'll definitely win the next round!"

"Crow?" Towa asked.

"Eh? Towa?"

Fie opened her video feed as well. Disheveled grey hair and red annoyed eyes greeted the three individuals as Crow Armbrust appeared on the screen.

"Hey Crow," chirped Towa.

"Sorry for the wait," Rean apologized.

"Don't call on my ARCUS just to yell," Fie reprimanded.

"No no. This is perfect!" A deadly glint shone in Crow's eyes, "Master Towa! Let's teach these two young'uns never to mess with their elders in a 2v2 round of 'Blade!'"

"Master?!"

Fie sat up from her comfortable position on Rean's shoulder, "I don't mind."

"I'm up too," Rean said. "Though you do realize you're still not gonna win, right?"

"Oho, you never fought Towa before. She'd mop the floor with both of you."

"Hold on, hold on, I'd mop the floor with them on what?"

"'Gate of Avalon,'" Crow answered. "You know, that game you programmed yourself?"

"I did?"

"Yeap."

"Since when?"

"A few weeks ago?"

"I don't remember?"

"I do. I'm pretty sure a brown-haired midget chatted George and _yours truly_ to have her game published on the orbal net."

"Don't call me midget, and I swear I don't remember anything about that at all. I don't even play 'Gate of Avalon!'"

"Yet you have a separate ARCUS just to play the game on. Right…" Crow said.

"Why won't you believe me?!" the petite instructor whined.

The two juniors could only look at each other with the same puzzled expression.

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

"And blow them away!" a bespectacled teacher exclaimed. Her brown ponytail flicked to her back as the petite woman mimicked a spellcasting motion she had seen in a fantasy movie.

"Ah, dang. You blew my trump card," George Nome said through the screen of the computer. A congratulatory message popped up as the rotund man was not able to play a card to one-up the woman's score. "Guess you really can't beat the master after all. Thanks for the game Towa."

"Aww, I'm not that special. But thank you, George!" 'Towa' smiled at him as she fixed her ponytail back to her side, a tiny blush on her innocent cheeks. "You were pretty good too. Let's play again sometime!"

"Gotta say, diggin' the new instructor look you going for. Looks pretty modern."

The tiny woman spun on the spot, her short blue skirt swaying with the movement. She rolled up her blouse sleeves before scratching the back of her head. "Hehe, thanks~ I hope the students will like it too."

"I'm sure they'll adore you," George complimented with his usual toothy grin. "Gotta go now though. Good Luck and don't stress about it too much okay?"

"Bye George!" With the farewell, her friend logged off.

'Towa' shut down her computer as well. It was simply embarrassing for her to miss the first day of school because of a few games. Although she couldn't hide her giddy that her new friends loved her game.

She wasn't sure where 'Erebonia' was though. It sounded familiar, but she let it slide. It was probably just a foreign city in a country she wasn't aware of. It was rude to ask personal questions online after all.

Gathering her homeroom materials, 'Towa' frolicked down the steps of her house. She slid the traditional Japanese doors open when her eyes widened in delight. "Ah, Kou-chan~! Ready for high school?"

Sat on the opposite end of the table was her cousin and longtime delinquent student Kou. The teenager shook his dark brown hair as he continued to shove rice into his mouth.

"Kou-chan, did I say something?" Towa said in a worried tone as she sat down. She still struggled with dealing with her temperamental cousin most of the time. Sometimes he would just outright ignore her. She chalked it up to puberty though, so she didn't take it personally.

"It's nothing. Midget Towa-nee," the boy said through bites of his meal.

"Don't call me midget!" the petite instructor whined. "I'm 23 you know!"

"I'll stop calling you midget if you promise to not call me Kou-chan in class." Amber eyes fought green ones as the two cousins stared each other down.

The older and more mature of the two relented. Towa Kokonoe sighed.

"Fine… I promise."

* * *

**Apparently, orbal net waves travel through dimensions. It's a Falcomception!**

**Sorry if this chapter is a bit confusing if you haven't played Tokyo Xanadu. If you haven't, I highly recommend it. **

**Credits to Heero de Fanel and his 'Snapshots' fic for inspiring this chapter. Go read that too.**

**Lastly, ONE MORE CHAPTER before I write for the Dark Prince again. I promise.**

**See ya.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please don't immediately press back.**

* * *

**Fragment Chapter III: Noblesse Ark**

* * *

"I'm… pregnant…" _the noble said, clutching his stomach as the burning red hue suffused his entire being._

"Wh-What?! How could it…?" _said the commoner. His face was flushed from the stress of the day's work. The news was the icing on the cake, devastating his mind as the weight of those words dawned unto him. The circumstances, the responsibilities… the pain. He gnashed his teeth as he glared at his once former nemesis, "_Since when…?"

"Two months…" _the duke confessed. His eyes darkened behind his golden locks. He could not look at his beloved, not if he wanted to save himself from the guilt of keeping the secret for so long. Unfortunately, he could hide no longer, as the bump in his stomach steadily grew, promising the gift of life to their offspring._

_The bespectacled man's blood boiled. He grabbed the noble by the scruff of his coat. The confusion was too much to bear, he averted his gaze away as tears stung at his eyes. _

_What should he feel? _

_Happiness? Disappointment? Betrayal? Fear of his execution? _

_He felt all of it, yet he struggled to speak out a word. His heart, however, reminded him what was most important._

_His voice cracked as he muttered the noble's name. Tears beaded down his cheeks as he held his lover's shoulders. With a toothy grin, he sobbed. Regardless of the consequences, he was going to be a father. A father to a child he never dreamed he could have. _

_He buried his face into the chest of his one and only soulmate, as he-_

"CUT!"

Cyan hair bopped up and down as the small girl skipped over to her two actors. She held a black megaphone in her hand as she pointed it accusingly at the bespectacled student.

"Machias I told you, you have to FEEL it! Really smooch that face of yours into that sweet, sweet chest!"

"Nope. No way. Impossible," Machias said, moving as far away from the sweet chest he was supposed to be smooching as he physically can. "All _hell _will freeze over before I'll smooch _anything _from that cocksure, disputatious, vexatious VARLET!"

"Seconded." With a glare as fierce as his family's riches, Jusis Albarea ironed out his decidedly wrinkled coat.

"That doesn't mean _you're_ out of the woods Jusis!" Millium shouted. Her tiny frame exuded a stern aura not befitting a child of her stature. "What was with that delivery huh? You were supposed to blush. That wasn't a blush. That was a fifth of a blush. A FIFTH!"

Blonde eyebrows quirked at the demanding girl, "A fifth is generous considering the words you coerced me into uttering." _And will utter,_ he didn't add. The multiple paged script weighed in his hand. They were on page two out of 30.

Jusis stared at the pouting child in front of him. With a resigned sigh, he straightened up. "But I suppose a promise is a promise. I have my pride as a noble after all. Acting is one of our traditional recreational hobbies."

He smiled, "I shall do as you say."

"That… was actually pretty cool…" Machias muttered from his end of the room. With a rough scratch of his head, the vice-president resolved himself. They had promised the little girl after all. Come hell or high water, Class VII was going to make this work. The two rivals locked eyes with one another and nodded once.

"Yes! Alright, take 5." Millium said as she bounced back to her director's chair. "We're gonna smash these scenes! And then we'll have the time to do those shirtless ones too!"

The male stars groaned.

"Hahaha…" Rean could only pity his two classmates. He got off quite light being the narrator this time around. As Millium explained, in verbatim "_Something to do with bad feminine blood if Rean's made the protagonist."_

Whatever the girl meant had completely eluded him.

'Still, these aren't nearly half as bad as the stuff Dorothee would make,' he thought as he flipped through the pages of the script. Rean pushed that bait away before his imagination could catch up, however. It's best not to think what the Literature Club president would write for her own version of the sequel of- never mind.

A knock on the door alerted the small director as a blue-haired swordswoman stood outside the classroom. Holding several shopping bags of indiscernible goods, Laura smiled sheepishly, her face flushing under the twilight sky.

"Props! You got the goods, Laura?" Millium said as she hopped over to the taller woman.

"Y-Yes, I have procured… most of it. The costumes, props, and uhm… _implements." _The trained woman pointedly could not meet her classmate's gaze, the red on her cheeks growing ever more furious. "Will it suffice?"

"They're awesome! Where did you buy all these anyway?"

"Instructor Sara's been… _open_ about her sources." Still no eye contact from the dignified sword wielder.

"Ooohh tell me all the juicy details later," Millium teased in a salacious tone that should not at all be used by a child.

Laura's blush exploded.

"Alright, get her dressed and ready to go. We'll shoot those scenes next," the director ordered before she turned on her heel towards the corner of the room where a blonde girl was sat burying her face into an orbal laptop.

"Special effects! Howzit goin'?"

Alisa flinched yet continued typing on the keyboard. Her eye convulsed as Millium approached.

"It's not bad-" Alisa said.

"So...?" The small girl leaned uncomfortably close to the screen of her laptop. "_Can_ we make Jusis pregnant?"

Such an innocent question, yet the stiff coughing of an evil-eyed noble nearby brought Alisa back to reality. It took her several moments of sputtering nonsense before actual words blundered out of her mouth.

"I- uh… I mean, uh, I guess I'd- I'll keep working on it…?"

"Good good. You do that." With an enthusiastic step, Millium left.

A cold crystal dagger jabbed into Alisa's gut as the soon-to-be pregnant Jusis glowered at her. The one woman special effects team could only mouth an apology to her classmate as she buried herself back into the realm of the digital.

"Gaius! How're the shots? We doin' okay?" Millium asked of the Nord as she skipped over to him, her hat flapping with each hop.

"It is going well enough. No problems with the lighting or the video quartz. We should be able to keep shooting," Gaius said. He held his shoulder as an ache slowly subsided from his body. A brotherly smile pursed his lips, "I would appreciate it though if you would not jump on my shoulders on a whim. It might make the shot unstable."

"Okay." Millium agreed rather easily. "I'll just hop on Lammy instead. La-"

"On second thought, feel free to use my shoulder as much as you wish." The tall man sighed. Senseless destruction of school property narrowly averted.

"She's ready," a quiet Laura called out. All heads turned towards the blushing swordswoman at the doorstep. Besides her stood a silver-haired maiden. She wore a grey two-piece attire a tad bit short for a fifteen-year-old. A heart-shaped hole bared a hint of the small girl's cleavage as thigh high stockings and frilly gloves covered her slender limbs. A tail wagged from behind as one of her four ears twitched.

Male jaws collectively dropped.

Laura fled the room.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road! Skip over to page 10 guys," the energetic director yelled.

Perching on Gaius' shoulder, Millium lifted her megaphone. "Lights- we don't have anyone on lights. Camera?"

Composing himself, Gaius lifted the orbal video recorder as he nodded, "I'm right here. Ready."

"Music?"

"And they call _me_ a taskmaster." Elliot sighed. He flexed his fingers as the cramp from the steel strings left small blisters on his skin. It was way better staring at his bruised pinkies rather than in front of him though.

"MUSIC!"

"Ready!" Picking his violin bow off the floor, Elliot averted his eyes from the stage. He was a man, but this one's a bit too much for his liking.

"Narrator!"

"Ready," Rean answered as he held the script up to his face. He was _absolutely_ ready to read out his lines, despite the fact that his eyes were still glued towards the scantily clad girl.

"Actors!"

"Ready," responded one of them.

"Annnnnnnnd… ACTION!"

"_Papa! Daddy! Welcome home!" _Fie said with an airy voice distinct from her usual monotone. Fake tears streamed down her cheeks as she rushed over to the flummoxed teens. She held Machias' uniform as she buried her face into it, tail swaying in mock excitement.

Fie stared longingly at the bespectacled boy's cherry-red face, her lips twitching as she held down her mirth, "_Did you miss me too Daddy? Filia has been a good girl for you. She's even made tons of new friends. They are so nice and they gave her so many gifts. Filia hopes you can meet them someday…"_

Machias gaped. His internal processors stopped functioning altogether as his jaw dropped further.

"CUT! _Machias, _your lines!" the small director scolded from atop her Nordic tower.

"Uh, right. Where was I... " Machias' face calmed down in the moment's reprieve before it flushed again as Fie brushed up against him. Her cat-like tail poked him on his cheek.

She flashed him a teasing grin, "What's the matter Machias? Not used to having a girl call you '_Daddy?'"_

"WHY WOULD I BE?!" he screeched. He swatted away the furry appendage that was patting his face, "Stopit-"

"What about you?" '_Papa' _Jusis asked, his hand planted firmly on his face. "You seem to be one of the few people here that's actually enjoying themselves. Having the time of your life perhaps?"

"Not really," Fie chimed. Her tail wagged left to right as she scratched her fake ears, "I mean, _why me?_"

Millium answered for the two of them as she hopped up to the stage, "Cuz you're the only one who could fit that role of course. Well… I tried asking Altina if she could help out."

"And…?"

"She hung up on me. Then she called back and told me never to dial her ARCUS ever again."

"Okay, but…" Fie stroked her tail, perplexed herself on how she's able to move the thing, "why am I half cat?"

Millium shrugged, "I dunno. Ask Emma. It's her script."

"HAH!" a deranged girl laughed out. It was followed by an agonized wail. Their lifeless class president slumped further in another corner of the room as her familiar pawed at her head.

The poor girl had been like that ever since Millium prodded through her stuff and fished out a certain document she had been meaning to sanctify, exorcize and then burn. The hyperactive girl then declared to Class VII that she wanted to turn the 'masterpiece' into a short play. Quite passionately to boot. Emma had fainted by that point.

The dispirited writer laughed again as the remnants of the color on her body faded away.

"Anyway. I don't really mind. It's just cold in these," Fie spoke up. She had made to ignore her dissolving friend as her cat ears perked up.

Emma was overreacting, Fie thought to herself. She, and pretty much all of Class VII, actually enjoyed reading the work of fiction. They wouldn't have agreed to the play and Sara wouldn't have allowed them to if it wasn't good.

Fie adjusted her top before she noticed a pair of grey eyes ogling at her.

She blinked and covered her chest with her arms, "Rean… don't be a creep."

"Oh- Sorry- I just…" the boy stammered out. He then tried (and failed) to sound smooth, "_Wow_, that suits you so much."

A freckle of a blush crept up the face of the stoic girl, "You really think so…?"

"Yes! I mean… it's definitely cute. It really brings out your inner _Fie-ness. _The colors complement you pretty well. A-And it shows off your nice legs and curves and stomach and-" Rean sputtered before a bushy tail whipped across his face, "Ow!"

"_Shut up you," _an embarrassed Fie said as she glared twin gunswords at the horny teenager.

"Okay, enough of that you two lovebirds. We got a movie to finish!" Millium shouted as she sprinted back to her usual position atop a mountain of dark-skinned muscle. "Let's take it from the top!"

"M'kay."

"Got it."

"Let's just get this over with."

"Please let this day end soon."

Millium Orion inhaled the crisp Trista air before she bellowed out on her megaphones, "ACTION!"

* * *

"Ah… kids these days."

"Shouldn't you be, as their adviser, advise them _not_ to make decisions that they will regret for the rest of their lives?" former Instructor Neithardt asked of the laissez-faire homeroom teacher supervising the chaos before them.

"It'll be fineeee," Sara said as she took a swig on her definitely non-alcoholic filled mug. Her fond smile grew as she gazed at her students, "Someday, they'll look back at this moment and have a good laugh… or die cringing. Either way, it'll be hilarious! Right?"

"...Right."

"CUT!"

* * *

**I am sorry for writing this.**

**This was supposed to be an April Fools chapter but then life got in the way. But here you go!**

**And yes, these events ARE canon to The Dark Prince. I teased quite an important plot point hidden in here. Can you guess what it is?**

**JohnJoestar17 - tbh I actually didn't mean to write Fie as like a cat that chapter. It just occurred so naturally haha**

**Elia950 - thank you for the review :) Yes I will keep writing as there is a hurtful lack of Rean x Fie fics. Thanks for the support.**

**Anyway, back to the main story.**

**See ya.**


	4. Chapter 4

A breeze whistled through the quiet streets of Trista, its gentle touch plucking the lino off the spring trees. The snowy flowers blanketed the steps leading up to the prestigious military school. It was still early morning, yet the clear sky forecasted a long and fruitful day as the very first ringing of the campus bell signified the start of the academic year.

The newly-appointed student council president gazed at the familiar scenery. She waved at the first batch of students walking towards the front gates. Brushing her hair of any tangled knots, she affixed a pleasing smile to her face as she greeted the oncoming freshmen.

"Welcome to Thors Military Academy!"

Her eyes wandered over the many faces of her students. Most of them had the distinctive green uniform denoting them as part of the commoner class. She herself wore the same colors, although she did not reserve any kindness towards those that wore the white uniforms. She welcomed them all once again before a member of her committee guided them to the campus auditorium.

The girl plastered up another smile towards her next wave of students. All nobles, she winced in her thoughts. Her heart raced when she realized the hand she was shaking belonged to the son of a count. Her brow crinkled when a gang of delinquent rich kids leered at her.

She let out a sigh. It was evident from the quaking of her knees that she felt nervous. The girl clutched the hems of her skirt and stood her ground. She was just going to have to get used to the attention.

When she first enrolled here, all she had ever wanted was to graduate at the top of her class. Being thrust into the role of student council president… _may _have been a miscalculation on her part. Apparently, she had made herself look -too- good.

The reluctant teen accepted the position regardless. It was for her benefit after all. She reasoned that it would be a suitable challenge for her, considering she had not even bothered to join a club.

The last of the latecomers trickled in just as the school bell rang, indicating the change in hour. The girl glanced over the lino trees again as a smile pursed her lips.

"President!"

She turned to see a spritely young girl walking up to her. The president recognized the girl as the elected vice-president of the student organization. Her strained smile hid the fact that she could not place a name immediately on her fellow council member. She nodded to the girl as her mind panicked. _Okay… think carefully. It started with an L… _

"Livie… correct?" she said, praying to Aidios to not embarrass herself on her first day as their superior.

"Yup," Livie said. Her long black hair framed her green uniform as she motioned towards the auditorium. "The students are all accounted for! All that's left is the welcoming ceremony. You got your speech ready?"

_Ah, right. My speech._ She was supposed to go after the principal and before their special guest. That meant that she was going to introduce this mystery person to her students.

Which meant that she would have to improvise on the spot. In front of some very important nobles. And _all _of her instructors. No pressure.

"I got it. Thanks for the concern," the president bluffed.

"And by the way… you don't have to call me president when it's just us," the girl said as she glanced away. Red suffused her pale cheeks. Did she ever mention that she hasn't made a single close friend yet?

"Aww, awesome! Looking forward to working with you then, Claire!" Livie exclaimed. She held out a hand towards the sky blue-haired girl.

"Wish me luck…" Claire Rieveldt failed a grin as she reciprocated the kind gesture.

_Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all._

* * *

'_Arise O' youth, and become the foundations of the world.'_

Claire closed her eyes as she listened to the familiar speech. Those were the words her benefactor had said to her.

Her world froze that one fateful day.

She cried and cried. Yet as she did so, she turned a deaf ear to the cruelty of it all. She was lost. Powerless. She lay mute and still while time played ever onwards.

Then _he _appeared.

He turned her life right-side up. He taught her how to stand on her own two feet. He showed to her that she could wrest control of the threads of fate back into her favor if she just waltzed.

And she did. With her hands, she got her revenge. She then left it all behind soon after.

Claire swore her loyalty to the man. Indebted to him. Which was why she had accepted wholeheartedly his recommendation to enroll in Thors, his Alma Mater.

That thought reminded the student president of her current predicament. _She was next._

And she **still** had no idea who their mystery guest was. _Where are they?!_

The student council was responsible for making the entrance ceremony go off without a hitch. And as her first assignment, she wanted it to be perfect. She hoped, at least.

"Go forth, my students. The world awaits the great things you will one day accomplish." Principal Vandyck finished his speech to warm applause by students and faculty alike.

His elderly smile radiated of friendliness and passion as he turned towards a quivering mess of a girl shaking in her seat. "Now allow me to introduce to you a very… special student."

Claire gulped.

"She may be quite the sight for those of you who are familiar with her. Nevertheless, she has shown a remarkable aptitude and exceptional leadership skills that far surpass those of her age."

_Stop-_

"I am certain that she will be a great asset to us all in the upcoming year," the principal continued. "Truly, I could never be more proud. As such... I would like all of you to give a round of applause for your new student council president."

Principal Vandyck stepped down from the podium and gestured towards the silently mourning teen.

The praise was fine; Claire was confident in her abilities. What was not fine, however, was the former army general-turned-principal stacking unrealistically high expectations for her and her limited social skills. _So much for making friends…_

Claire thanked the boisterously grinning man as she stood in front of the entire student body. The commoners amongst the students cheered while the nobles clapped. Her instructors nodded in approval.

She glanced at their faces. Some students were slack-jawed. Others were awestruck. The majority were keen. She regretted letting her hair down as over a hundred pairs of eyes stared at the self-conscious girl.

She hasn't even said a word yet. Crap.

Taking a breath, Claire dug deep into herself. She could do this. Public speaking was an art in itself and she was no stranger to mastering complexities. She started her speech.

It went… well.

No slip-ups. No tongue-tied mumblings. And no accidental blurb of her backstory that she would rather be kept hidden. She felt good.

Except now she was done and their next speaker hasn't even arrived yet. She's left standing in front of her audience. With nothing to say, her stomach pooled with anxiety.

Her day was saved when Livie approached her and handed her a note. She read it aloud post-haste.

"It is within my greatest pleasure then, to pass on the lovely stage to a certain resplendent individual," she said, not even bothering to mince the flowery language. "A graduate with honors, along with the hearts of many. This illustrious individual has spent his lonely days toiling away at society, desperately trying to mold its foundation into that of the vision of the legendary Lionheart.

"He had considered this academy his home. His devotion to it, unparalleled. It tore his heart pieces to have left. He spent countless, sleepless nights singing the valorous tales of his Alma Mater.

"But now, he has returned to once again bask in its glory. Revel now, my compatriots, as I welcome you, the one and only..."

"**Prince Olivert Reise Arnor~"**

A booming male voice interrupted Claire. The lights dimmed as a spotlight shone in the middle of the stage. An opulent chandelier descended from the ceiling. On it was a blonde prince with a rose tucked between his lips. His eyes gleamed as he played a melody on his lute.

Orbal fireworks exploded in the room Rather than paper confetti, red petals drifted down and dotted the auditorium.

Pink eyes twitched.

"Good day my fellow young lions! It brings me great joy to have been invited to partake in this year's grand entrance ceremony," Prince Olivert said. He hopped down from his chandelier as he held up his own microphone.

_We didn't invite you. You invited yourself,_ the student council president clarified.

"Ah… I am overjoyed to see such dreamful youths enrolling in Thors. To say nothing of the ladies~" He winked.

A cadre of female students swooned as Olivert tossed his rose towards them, along with a flying kiss. They squeed.

Claire sweatdropped.

The princely man bowed to the small group of teachers, "And my fair instructors, I see the year has treated you well. You especially, Sir," he said to the principal.

The elderly man guffawed. "It is a pleasure to have you here, your Highness."

"Please, I shall forever be no more than your humble student."

_I guess I can leave…? _Claire pondered to herself as she stepped off the podium. She winced when the glaring spotlight was directed to her, blinding her momentarily.

Olivert played a chord on his instrument as he approached the fleeing girl with a wide grin. "And lest I forget, thy wonderful student council president! Allow me to congratulate you on acquiring such a noble position. I-"

His florid speech was cut short. Olivert stood in place with eyes widened like glimmering saucers.

"Uhm… thank you, your Highness…" Claire said politely to the staring prince.

She edged to her seat. It was best not to involve herself with the quirky man.

"... angel…" the prince muttered.

"Hm…?"

Olivert fell to his knees. "Are you… an angel?!"

...

"Huh?!"

"You… your name is Claire, am I correct? Are you, perhaps, a cherub in disguise?" he asked. Still kneeling, he moved closer to the bewildered girl. "No… you seem much more than that."

Olivert glanced at her pale cheeks. He moaned as he noticed the womanly curves on her lips. He flushed as he admired her delicate eyelashes. "Your face… it is simply too divine to be that of a lowly angel… Has the _Goddess_ _herself _finally blessed this world with her presence?!"

"E-eh…?" Claire reeled back. _Angel…? Goddess…? Wait, what? _

"Oh, please tell me you are!" the prince exclaimed. He took her hand into his as purple eyes gazed passionately into pink ones. "In all my life, I have never met such an exquisite beauty such as yourself! One-in-a-million, as they say!"

Claire could not put a word in as the lovestruck man praised her with overwhelming flattery. Her mind simply stopped trying to make sense of her situation. It instead flurried into overdrive as she tried to control her blush.

The entire Thors student body and faculty spectated the fairy tale scene. The young, dashing prince declaring his love for the commoner girl. The crowd wooed as Olivert kissed her fingers.

Claire gawked. Did she mention that she wasn't used to the attention?

"So this is what they call 'love at first sight'. Heh..." Prince Olivert blazed with desire as he spoke clearly, his voice echoing through the auditorium speakers. "I implore you… Please, go out with me! Become my one and only princess!"

His eyes stormed with passion as he shouted, "I LOVE YOU!"

The stadium roared with whistles and applause. Rose petals danced in the air while cheers bellowed from the audience. They stilled with bated breath as a hundred pairs of eyes gazed at the fair maiden.

She answered.

"… no."

Silence.

"Pardon me, my dear, I did not catch that. What did you-"

"No." Claire looked up to the man's face.

Her wintery stare exuded a deathly aura. Her face stoned into an icy glare.

The world froze.

Tendrils of ice burst forth from the girl, encapsulating the entire stage. The temperature in the room plummeted as sharp prickles of rime embraced the prince's body and heart. It whirled and tore him to shreds.

"...What…?" Olivert sputtered. "But… why?"

"Simple deduction." Claire gored icicles into the man's soul. "You see a pretty face and you, immediately, are starstruck. You even told me it's love at first sight. Both of those paints you as someone who is extremely capricious, shallow and vain."

She pulled her hand back and wiped the filthy spit off her fingers. "Answer me this. How EXACTLY do you love me? We've only just met. I don't know a single thing about you. Although, I do know now that you're a creep with no sense of personal space. Whoever gave you permission to kiss my hand?"

Olivert gaped.

"What's more, you keep describing me as some sort of angel. Have you ever even seen an angel before? The Goddess? Are you THAT much of a delusional _pest_ that you couldn't see me for my flaws? I am not as innocent as you might believe. I have had blood in my hands. Probably more than you as a prince would ever think to have in your entire life.

"Not only that, you had completely foregone planning and had instead decided to make such a dramatic entrance. Has it ever occurred to you how much of a pain it was to accommodate your so-called 'mystery scheme'? I have spent _nights_ planning for this ceremony, and yet YOU completely ruined all of that all for the sake of your '_fun'. _Have you ever stopped to consider how much a failed event such as this would reflect on my reputation as student council president? Are you really that much of an obnoxious person who only thinks of himself?!"

A cold wind howled in the closed space.

"That's why I refuse. No matter how much you ask, I will NEVER date such a selfish, irresponsible, crude and immature brat such as yourself. Good day."

With that, Claire took her seat.

…

His heart shattering into tiny pieces, Olivert moaned. "Ahh… such a wonderful rejection… Truly, you are a gift from the Goddess…"

The Thors student body and faculty sweatdropped.

* * *

"And that, my dear Millium, is how our favorite Captain acquired her moniker of 'Icy Maiden'."

Millium cooed in awe, her eyes brimming with excitement. "Woahhhh that was _so _cool, Claire! Literally!"

"It was nothing," Claire said as she stared at the prince that was candidly spilling her secrets.

"It definitely was NOT nothing, though. I can attest to that." Olivert clutched his heart in mock pain before he went back to savoring his tea.

"I mean, ish waz amaszhing how cold andph cruel you vere."

"Millium, don't talk with your mouth full." Claire wiped the cookie crumbs off the child's face as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed towards the nonchalant prince lounging in his seat. "It never would have happened if His Highness had just learned to _keep his mouth shut."_

Olivert merely dodged her pointed scowl. "Oh, come now Claire! No need for formalities. Join me and let us reminisce in the wondrous memories of our Alma Mater! I'm sure Millium would be happy to listen."

"Like how you decided to commission a marble statue of me in the middle of Trista?"

"It was porcelain."

"Or that time you filled the academy pool with Grand Rose petals for my birthday?"

"It was grown from the imperial gardens. I assure you those petals were one-hundred percent authentic."

"Or how about that time during the summer festival when you paraded around in a float along with a life-sized caricature of me, _knowing full well_ I was in attendance?"

"Oh yeah, I read about that in one of the Intelligence Division's files. It looked pretty wack," Millium said.

Prince Olivert looked away. "My dear Claire… I have no idea what you are going on about."

"Of course you don't." Claire sighed.

It was… an eventful year, she had to admit. But the less said about the antics of her Thors senior, the better. Some things were best left forgotten.

Enter Millium.

"Ooh, ooh! I have a question!"

"Yes, Millium?"

"Did you two kiss?"

…

The silence was followed by a low chuckle from the prince. Olivert grinned pervertedly as he avoided the small girl's expectant gaze.

Claire refused to respond. Her face dithered to the side.

Millium's eyes widened, "_Oh my sweet Aidios_… Tell me tell me TELL ME!"

"That _debaucherous_ tale would best be told… some other time," Olivert answered for the two of them. He winked at his former junior.

With a blush blossoming on her cheeks, the 'Icy Maiden' glared.

* * *

**Fragment Chapter IV - Icy Rose -END-**

* * *

**Or is it...?**

**Thanks to Ouchanrrul for the idea. You wanted more Thors chapters, here you go. xD**

**RedBurningDragon - Yes, Millium for me is a cross between Tina and Ruby Rose from RWBY. I just can't help but hear their voices whenever she speaks.**

**Wuolong77 - Thanks! Glad I inspired someone with that crack chapter. Haha.**

**Reviews, favs and follows are appreciated. Happy Easter everyone!**

**See ya.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: unabashedly mundane and unnecessary Rean x Fie fluff ahead. If you were wanting a good story, I'm sorry.**

* * *

**Fragment Chapter V: Preparations for Field Studies!**

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

"It'll be fine. I did it all the time for the boss."

Which probably explains the numerous scars on the gruff Jaeger King's visage. "Am _I _sure about this?"

Fie gasped. "You don't trust me? Rean, baby, you wound me…"

"...I miss the days where you weren't yet corrupted by Crow. You're starting to resemble him more by the minute."

"Did you just compare me to that dumb chihuahua-"

"Nope. Definitely did not." A moist towelette slapped over his face.

The irate girl then _tenderly_ lathered a foamy cream to his chin, cheeks, and neck. A devilish smile cracked on her lips as she brandished a tiny silver blade. It glistened with the souls of the thousands dead by its razor.

Rean gulped; his eyes firmly on the sharp edge. They quivered. "Fie, I know we had our differences… but-!"

"I know…" Fie said defiantly as she lamented the loss. She drew the blade closer. And closer. "It's not you. It's me…"

"Look, I'm sorry… I was too busy! A-and I maybe sorta… forgot about it until now. I didn't mean to skip out on shaving, I swear!"

"Hush, my dear child. You wouldn't want to get cut now, would you?"

With a _swip_, the first hairs on his greying chin were murdered in cruel, cloudy white mercy. Fie glided the steel razor down in expertly calculated strokes, her face lighting up in admiration for her handiwork. A clean, full shave. No blood in sight.

Rean turned his gaze away from the girl leaning in close in front of him. As a model of true discipline, his thoughts wandered to his old Master.

He would've been proud, Rean thought. No man could resist the temptation of letting his eyes rove over dangerous areas better than he could.

And those dangerous areas were aplenty… considering the two were clothed only in their towels.

Yeah… They really should've gotten dressed first.

"Like what you see, pervert?" Fie grinned, still focused on her task. Her eyes shone in mischievousness through her damp silver hair.

"There's… not much _to_ see though, thankfully," Rean said. Though regretfully. An ominous silver blade twinkled as it poked him on the nose.

"You say something?"

"I said you are beautiful the way you are, small boobs and all."

"Good boy. Now hold still," Fie said, moving on to his other cheek.

Rean sighed but obeyed regardless. He could only wish the humiliation to end soon. He still had the day's field study with his students after all.

_I hope they won't get impatient…_

* * *

_Outside…_

"Are they STILL in there?!" an agitated pink-haired girl screeched. Juna palmed her face at the thought of _her instructor,_ of all people, would delay their very important field study.

Kurt shrugged defeatedly, his slender frame leaning on the walls outside _The Derflinger's _shower area. "Seems like it, yeah."

"Oh screw this," Ash said, stomping off to Aidios knows where.

"I should report that they do not appear to be engaging in any indecent acts, however," Altina spoke from her position, her right ear carefully meshed against the steel door.

"Not yet, at least~" Musse sang, her left ear trying to pick up even the tiniest amount of noise coming through the wall.

"Mmh," Altina sounded in agreement.

Juna stared at her two classmates. One she was used to dealing with her lecherous behavior. The other… well…

"...Al?"

"Hm?"

"...Never mind." Juna sighed. _These girls… I swear._

* * *

"All done~"

Washing off his steaming blush, Rean gazed at his reflection. Tiny beads of water dripped from his smooth-shaven chin. Not a whisker of hair nor a single wound marred the skin. He grinned sheepishly, "Not bad, Fie."

"What do you mean 'not bad'?" Fie poured a generous dollop of aftershave balm on her hands before smushing it over his jaw. "You meant 'Fie you're awesome', right?"

Rean glared as the small girl abused his poor cheeks. He returned the favor by pulling on hers in a competition on who can make as funny a face on the other as possible. They soon shared a laugh instead.

"Thanks, Fie."

"Welcome." She fidgeted closer as she continued, a flush adorning her stoic expression. "Buuuut, the boss usually gives me snacks whenever I do it for him. So…"

Fie closed her eyes and leaned her cheek forward.

"...How about a shoulder massage instead?"

Rean could see the needy girl's ears perk up as she nodded, smiling all the while.

* * *

A sensual moan was heard through the bathroom door.

The three girls plus boy waiting nearby blushed.

Juna's mind snapped.

_INSTRUCTOOOR!_

* * *

**Writer's block is such a pain. I need Rean x Fie shipping meds. Send fics!**

**Reviews, follows, and favs are appreciated. Hope you guys enjoy 'Endgame'!**

**See ya.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Minor spoilers for CSIII**

* * *

_**September, S.Y. 1198**_

"Three… two… one… Ready or not, here I come," I said.

Though why would I, really? If this were an assassination, I'd just be giving away my position. And even if it was just for fun, what's the point in shouting you're ready? If they knew you were coming, they'd just run away and hide somewhere else. That's so unfair.

Whoever made this game was an idiot. I hate being 'it'.

It wasn't so bad though. Looking through the nearby window, the clouds that I could only gaze from afar drifted closer to me. If I could reach out my hand to touch it, I would.

This was my first time aboard _The Celaeno_, Zephyr's private cruiser. The other ships were nice, but this one takes the cake. Its jet-black paint helped it camouflage in the night sky, though I seriously doubt the neon graffiti on the wings and hull were necessary. The boss flipped when we suggested we have it removed. The corps' very own flagship and it's glowing green. Can you believe that?

Anyway, the flight would take a couple more hours, and it's early morning right now, so none of us felt sleepy. The others roped me into playing games with them to kill time.

Oh, right. I was 'it'.

I found them easily enough. Xeno wasn't even bothering; he lounged in the bar as usual. Leo… well, he tried. Wasn't hard to spot his massive, hulking shoulders. Same with Garcia, though he just patted me on the head when I told him so.

They were patronizing me, huh? Stop treating me like I'm some kid already.

Well, whatever. I found the others soon afterward. They all patted me good job and went their ways. I sighed. _Every time_.

I should probably be on my way too. I had to go help cook breakfast. We didn't have much when it came to supplies; we were planning on stocking up at our destination. So like it or not guys, today's meal would be fried fish. Yay.

I was too short for the fryers, so the chef tasked me with cutting up the fish, along with the vegetables to go with the miso soup. I also had to wash the rice. Its incredibly rich and fluffy texture smushed in my hands. He said these were traditional breakfast dishes served over in Calvard. Didn't really care though- his food was amazing.

I decided to ration the rest of my fish for later. I wanted to go check up on the blade rifles before we landed.

Stepping into the armory, I bowed to greet the ship's quartermaster. He was a skinny fellow, sorta like me. But even then, from my little time here, I knew his skill was the real deal. Being skinny didn't mean much if you can blow a hole through a person's head from a hundred arges away.

Like last time, he placed his goofy goggles on my head and smiled at me with his yellowing teeth. I looked ridiculous, but if I wanted to be in here, I needed to put them on. I grabbed some wrenches and screwdrivers and got to work.

The weapons felt cold in my hands. The steel edges seemed to suck all the heat away from my fingertips. Its metallic chambers echoed as I tapped on them. Fortunately, they haven't been loaded yet, so I pulled the boss' spare rifle off the shelf and started to tinker with it.

What I would give to be strong enough to wield this. It was easily double my height and triple my weight. Its double-edged blade formed a makeshift spear, further reinforcing how much range it has for its size. The machine gun housed within sparkled spotless, courtesy of me. I went through the motions and wiped it clean anyway.

The boss promised me I'd be getting my own weapon soon… though I had to decide what type I wanted to use. _Could_ use. Heavy stuff like blade rifles or Leo's mechanized gauntlets were out. I could go for a knife or a pistol, but meh. Why would I want to go for something that emphasized how weak and small I really am?

What about a tachi? Those seem deadly. Someone even recommended me to study with some old guy over in Erebonia. Said he was a master of the 'Eight Leaves' or something.

I had been disassembling the gun's orbal capacitors when the ship captain announced we would be arriving soon. I had to stay close at all times while we traveled, so I quickly returned the pieces and stored the firearm back in its case. The rest of Zephyr came in shortly after and gathered their own personal equipment. Xeno and Leo escorted me back to the boss as usual.

'The Jaeger King', everyone called him. I had only been to the monarchy of Liberl a couple of times, so I had little idea what being a king entailed. All I knew was that he demanded respect.

Not how I knew him though. Whenever I'm around, he'd fawn over me like I was some sort super adorable and precious creature.

'Fie, come wear this dress!' or 'Fie, would you like some honey candy?'. My personal favorite was 'Fie! Come into the lovings arms of your Papa!'

_..._That was awful. I just wish he wouldn't do that here.

We landed near a river flowing towards the city proper. The airship doors opened, and we were greeted by intense winds and frigid snow. How anyone would choose to live in this frosty hellhole was beyond me. I was more preoccupied with not sneezing.

I sneezed. Cutely. Dang it.

Like a bunch of butlers of the highest pedigree, black-coated men formed a protective circle around me while we marched. The bear-like Garcia dropped his jacket on my head; I think his thick hide was already enough to block out the cold. Never mind how the wall of flesh guarded against the icy wind, I heated up just from the sheer embarrassment.

I only had to wallow in shame for a few minutes before we arrived in the city. The black barrier of prime Jaeger meat broke apart as I glanced around.

It was more desolate than I remembered.

Buildings that were still standing in my memory now lay abandoned or in ruins. The shops were boarded shut- their glass windows either shattered or outright had been stolen. Our snowy footsteps drummed in our ears while the smell of smoke, oil, and alcohol blanched our noses. What few people were left still roaming the streets fled when we approached. They sneered. Others spat in our direction. Some men held their crotches while they ogled at the girls in our group...

...Including me. That sent shivers up my spine better than the freezing wind did.

My poker face needed some work, as the boss caressed my head with his hand. When I looked up, he was glaring daggers at the uncouth men. They scurried off.

"Split up," he ordered. It would have attracted less attention if we didn't travel in such a large group.

Even so, I stayed close to him. I held his glove as we moved towards the center of the city. His eyes were still focused around us. They radiated a bloodlust that I had only ever felt when he rampaged in battle.

It was then that he failed to notice a small girl sprinting into him. I did though.

I mimicked the boss and glared at the girl. Dirty blue hair that hid her face and she dressed in no more than a tattered shirt and boots that held little warmth for her. She shivered, but it was not because of the cold.

The boss beheld her, his face painted with visible sorrow. She was smaller than me. Younger too. I could tell from his expression that he knew what she had tried to do.

Rather than run, she held her ground. Her eyes were a lusterless emerald. They were trembling.

Without thinking, I passed Garcia's jacket to the boss. He blinked for a few moments before he gave it to the girl. It was a wordless exchange, but both of us knew what the other thought.

We continued walking.

At the center of the capital stood its town hall. Its wooden gates towered above me. Left and right, dark stone walls extended far into the forests surrounding the city. Fortified, as if it were a military fortress rather than a government building.

The massive gates swung open as the boss walked inside. Three years ago, he stopped me from stepping any farther than the entrance. But to my surprise, he beckoned me to follow.

I spared a glance behind as the doors creaked closed. Standing there, in the freezing cold, I saw myself staring back.

* * *

The lounge area was marginally warmer than outside, probably because of the fuzzy carpet. It was smooth-ish and furry on my toes. I might even call it fancy. No fire though. Just a flickering old-fashioned oil lamp.

The boss told me to behave while he had his meeting. He didn't really tell me where though. Just said to stay within the walls.

I had been walking around for nearly half an hour now, yet there wasn't _anything_ remotely interesting here. No weapons to play with, no shooting ranges and no obstacle courses. All the good places were off-limits. The boredom was killing me.

Oh... there's a tree in the back garden. Maybe I could practice some climbing.

Willow. And, naturally, it had no leaves. Its bark was so brittle that it broke from a small pull. Still, I stepped on its branches, careful enough not to slip on the frosted surface, yet quick enough before it splintered.

The air was cleaner up here. Over the walls were snow-capped hills and plains that neighbored a vast dead forest. It teemed with monsters. I closed my eyes and listened.

'Sensing' as the others called it. A dozen figures frenzied outside the fortress. Their numbers were reduced to eleven. Then ten. They fell one after the other. In the distance, I spotted a faint blur. It rushed towards us, yet as quickly as the first, they were killed as gunshots blared.

The noise jarred me. Then I realized: one stood close by. _Below _me. I shot up to my feet on instinct and flinched from a different kind of noise.

The snapping of a branch.

"Ah."

Like a graceful snow angel, I plopped face-first onto a thick mound of fluff. Go me.

I spluttered out the watery substance when an unbelievably cold and itchy impulse crept up my nose. Thankfully, no one was around to hear me sneeze.

"...Boy, with a sneeze like that, I'd think you really WERE a snow angel."

At least, no one in Zephyr was.

Slouched against the tree was a lanky lady. She wore a sleeveless turtleneck under an open army vest. Her shorts were skimpy enough that I could only wonder how her legs weren't frozen to the ground yet.

I sneezed again.

She grinned like a maniac and pulled up her cap. Her eyes flickered mischievously.

She wasn't hostile, I guess. I should head back inside.

"Back entrance is the other way."

Ignore her… Take her advice, but ignore her existence.

"So I take it you're new here? Haven't seen you around before." She asked as she got up. "Oh no, wait. Those colors… You're from Zephyr, right?"

Saved me some trouble of introducing myself. I just nodded along.

"You must be that 'Jaeger Princess' I'd been hearing so much about." _Jaeger Princess?!_

With a mocking curtsy, she held out her hand and her eyelashes fluttered. "Well 'Your Highness', shall I escort you back to your room?"

What was I? Some kind of pet? I could find my way back myself.

"Not gonna go inside? Nah, me neither. Way better napping here." Without caring at all at how I'm staring her down, the lady fell back to her bed of snow. How relaxed can she get?

"Napping?" I asked.

"Here I was, thinking you were mute." Don't really care if you did though. "Yeah, napping. Sleeping in short periods, usually during the day. That napping."

"Why?"

"I'm sleepy? Everyone needs sleep? Conserving your strength is crucial? There's _literally_ nothing else to do here? Take your pick."

...I've had enough.

It was then that a monstrous, bloodletting howl echoed in the distance. My legs suddenly quaked, and the rest of me refused to respond. I was still 'sensing'. I wished I wasn't.

It was overwhelming, like a spike of dread through my chest. I couldn't sense how many there were, yet they surged forward, a single swarm of gnashing fangs and bloodied claws. They were coming _here_.

"Oohh. That sounds like fun," the lady cooed. I turned towards her.

In an instant, the lazy bum sleeping on the ground brushed past me. Her carefree smirk sadistically teased at the danger. Her stride only stopped when she looked at me. "Hm? You wanna come with?" she asked.

I didn't even realize that I had reached out for her hand.

"There's too many of them…"

"I can take out a few." She winked.

"And the rest…?"

"If they won't start running, then I'll take them out too."

"What if you can't?"

"Then I'll die. Same as the others," she said with the same nonchalant voice.

...Why did that make me more angry than worried?

I need to go tell the boss.

"Woah there! Can't have Dad steal my thunder now."

_Let me go! _I wanted to shout. That was before the breath was expelled from my lungs as I found myself soaring through the air. The ground fled from me. I was weightless. The wind flicked hair to my face when I felt myself descending just as fast. An arm clotheslined my stomach before I landed on my butt in the snow. The black willow was nowhere in sight among the trunks of dead trees. I was already outside.

The lady pumped her fist to her chest. "If you're so worried, just watch. Leave all these scary monsters to your older sister!"

My legs wouldn't give me the dignity of standing up when _it _appeared. A giant gray wolf as tall as the stone walls behind me. It snarled with feral eyes. From deep within the forest, hounds dashed in and encircled their leader. They panted and drooled, their hanging tongues and emaciated bodies spoke of days without meat to fill their stomachs.

I didn't want to be dog food!

I guess I said that aloud as the lady chuckled. She stepped forward, and the guards immediately flocked to her. Some even hid behind her short stature. She drew her weapons.

There were two guns. One was a Verne-model submachine gun. Sleek and black, yet lightweight and could punch holes into armor as easily as it can fire a couple of rounds per second. Made for suppression with its middling accuracy.

The other... was a large, diabolical pistol. Its shape was reminiscent of that of a fiendish jaw; the size of its barrel boasted of its destructive properties. It had no scope too so I would guess it was more suited for melee. But a shot of that caliber, from that range…

It was made to kill.

Still, both of her weapons were made for close-ranged combat. What was she expecting to do? Run in guns blazing and get mauled to death?

"Commander!" the guards cheered.

...Commander?

Deafening thunder and a flurry of purple light. It burned in my ears as my eyes sought after the lady. The ground erupted with lightning, and she was already there, in the middle of the pack. The giant beast growled at her and lunged forward. Its friends flanked her before they pounced.

My heart sank. Was it too late? Will she die, just like that…?

"NO!"

Lightning hissed, and with a swift kick, the woman leaped behind. A claw slammed into the ground before it disintegrated into fleshy chunks. The wolf roared as violet explosions pelleted its face. The force rocked its head and fire blasted its eyes.

Long, fuschia hair sailed through the air as the lady twirled on her feet. Her guns fired rapidly, scoring the approaching hounds in their torsos. She jumped, and, with the same spin, continued to fire her weapons. She slid underneath one and emptied her magazine in its belly. Slender legs kicked it away in a burst of flame. The wolves whimpered before their torched comrade, and, just as she said, some fled. She reloaded.

With lightning, fire, and steel, she tore through the rest of the horde with ease. The white snow was dyed red in their blood. She vaulted on top of their leader, a maniacal smile plastered on her face.

It tried to shake her off. It tried to chomp on her head. Every time, she dodged. Every time, another hole punctured into its thick hide. With a snap of her heel, the wolf's great maw was fractured open. In a split second, orbal bullets ignited in its throat and mouth with a clap of thunder. Its blood spurted everywhere. Everywhere except her. She was too fast for it; she had hopped a few paces back. Her eyes glimmered while a deadly aura enveloped her form. My mind tried to keep up.

One moment she was there, the other she was dashing across the beast, slashing with the spikes of her pistol. Purple streaks of lightning flashed through and through, her machine gun firing non-stop.

Electricity crackled before me. My eyes widened; my mouth agape. It was at that moment when I couldn't keep my gaze off her that she shouted:

"_Plasma Storm!"_

With a swipe of her two guns, a giant, cross-shaped wave crashed against the monster. Its body barrelled through the rest of swarm as they were pushed back. With a bellowing howl, the beast's head sunk into the snow. Their leader dead, the pack dispersed into the black abyss of the forest.

It was over.

...

"That's that."

...how…?

"Commander! You were amazing!"

"Oh please. Flattery won't get you anywhere. _Do_ keep 'em coming though~."

How can she just…

"Hm? You okay there, Princess?"

I looked down at her hands. They were small. I looked down at mine. They were tiny. She was older, but we were the same.

But... how could she be so _strong?_

Her pistol gleamed in the sunlight. It was intimidating. Fuchsia, like her hair, yet just as elegant. I awed at it wordlessly as she held it close to my face.

"Heh, wanna hold it?"

...Of course, I do!

It was heavy like I thought. My fingers could barely curl over the handle, let alone the trigger. Blood decorated its shaft while a bit of flesh was still stuck to some of the spikes. On habit, I wiped it clean with my neckerchief. The scalding scent of smoke and orbal energy residue was electrifying. It was a wonderful smell.

I hefted it up to my arms. It carried more like a rifle than a pistol for me. Through my eyes, the horn at the end of its muzzle acted as makeshift iron sights. I took aim at a nearby boulder. Against my better judgment, I held it one-handed, just like what she did.

"Hold up- if you fire it like that, you're gonna hit your noggin, you know?!"

I was?

The lady held my wrists firmly. Her worried eyes roved over my arm. "If you want to shoot like me, you gotta know how to hold it properly. Lock your wrist, not your elbow. Keep your arm level with your shoulder, extended as straight as you can."

"Like this?"

"Yup. You need your entire arm to brace for the recoil. If you don't, the gun's gonna snap back and your forehead's gonna regret it."

She rubbed her own for emphasis.

"Spoken from experience. Ain't that right, Commander?"

"SHHHHHHHHH! She doesn't need to hear that!"

...I missed completely.

"Eesh… Guess even THAT's too big for you."

I took aim again and missed. I tried it with two hands. Still a miss.

"Well, you're not gonna impress me with that."

H-hey, I was trying!

She confiscated her gun and handed me a smaller, auxiliary pistol she had holstered on her hip. "Start with that, then work your way up when you're older."

The new gun was… average. Silver, nondescript, it fit my hand well enough. It could fire automatically too, but other than that it was…

"...Too light…"

"Yeah… I could've figured you'd say that. Hmm…"

I just stared at the firearm. I didn't know why, but it just didn't feel right holding it. If I were to describe the feeling, it was like my heart was being buried with disappointments.

"Oh, I know!" the lady said. Her face lit up vibrantly as she pulled out a knife from her ankle strap. "You'll like this."

"What is it?"

"A knife- well, bayonet actually. Unlike those flimsy ones, this blade was made from top-grade steel straight from Erebonia. Sturdy too. A bit heavier than most, but I think it'll be a perfect fit for you."

She attached it to the pistol with a clink. "How's that?"

"It's… not as light anymore."

It was. I wasn't struggling to hold it up, nor did it feel like it would break in my hands. It wasn't like holding just a pistol or just a knife. It was more akin to a blade rifle like Xeno's, yet as if it was made for a tiny girl like me.

I took a few tentative swipes with it. To my _pleasant _surprise, it actually felt weighty. Each swing had oomph. Had power. But at the same time, it felt speedy. Instead of being flailed about by a heavy weapon, I could swing it around just as fast as my body.

And I can shoot it one-handed. Sweet.

An orbal bullet tore a chunk off a rock twenty arges down.

"Oohh. Not bad~"

A smile crept up my face. She applauded me. Hehe.

"Still.. how do you deal with the accuracy?" I asked. From what the boss and Xeno told me, only specific guns could shoot more than a couple of dozen arges away. My shot got lucky.

"Well… I don't deal with it as much as I work around it," she said cryptically. From her pocket, she fished out a couple of glowing purple tubes. She tossed me one and loaded the other to her pistol. "That's a specially-made orbal bullet cartridge. I don't know if you noticed, but these babies were responsible for those blasts of lightning you saw earlier."

Three shots. Three plumes of lightning struck forth around the boulder I had been shooting. It disintegrated into dust in the span of two seconds.

"See? With the area of effect blast, I don't need to worry too much on hitting it where it hurts." Her glossy yellow eyes winked. Heh, clever.

She was right though. I don't know if I'll use the same style, but I'll keep that in mind. I slotted in the cartridge on my gun and fired.

"No, wait-! That's-"

Like a tiny static-charged grenade, the cartridge blew up.

"...Ow."

"Keep explosive bullets away from children… Got it."

She wiped off the ash from her face and grinned at me with her shining white teeth.

I wanted to glare.

* * *

My fingers hurt. Ow…

"Geez, you're like one tiny bundle of danger, you know that?"

"Sorry…"

After my little _accident_, the lady dragged me to their infirmary and had my injuries checked. Thankfully, they weren't as badly bruised as my ego, so I'll live. Gonna suck when the boss asks me where I got my bandaged hand from, though.

A hot towel invaded my face. Before I could complain though, the lady scrubbed all the ash off my cheeks like Zemuria's worst massage therapist.

"S-stop it-"

"Nope. After you humiliated me like that in front of my troop, you're not getting away with just a scrubbing!"

Not my hair, please...

"Your troop?"

"Yup. My own troop in the corps. Got promoted recently. Gonna take them out soon on my first mission as their commander."

"Congrats…"

"Thanks. Oh hey, I think the bath's ready."

To call it a bath was like calling an industrial wrecking ball a Pom. The steel bathtub was tubular. Literally. It was heated over an open flame we had to light for ourselves, though being able to conjure fireballs from your orbment was quite a blessing.

...And I can't reach the bottom. Joy.

I think the lady couldn't reach the bottom either as she seemed to be staring down intently. She had a frown on and was deep in her thoughts.

Oh. I get it.

"How come yours are so big?"

"They're not big! I just think they're getting too tight for my uniform, that's all..."

"Cuz they're so big?"

"If you keep talking like that, Aidios is gonna curse you with small breasts forever."

"I'm nine. I got time. And I don't believe the Goddess would be so petty." I dipped my head lower into the bath. She was facing away from me, so…

...I got time...

"Oh _ha ha_. Flaunt your combat assets all you want. They won't mean much when you need to grab yourself a man!" the lady argued. Her silky hair waved around on the clear waters as she went on tangents about men and the charms of an adult body and stuff.

"So _is _there a man?" I teased her. Amazingly enough, this calm and collected lady exploded into a blushy mess.

"N-no there isn't. Not that he'd notice me anyway. I mean, I'm just a kid in his eyes and…"

She trailed off into a mumble. I couldn't parse it, but it looks like there _was_ a man. Wonder what's he like.

Probably strong just like her. Maybe stronger. That made me quite curious.

"I won't tell anyone~"

She glared at me impassively. "You know we only just met. Why do I have to suddenly spill all my secrets to some kid?"

"Cuz I'm asking."

"Nice try." Boo.

I let myself sink into the warm depths of the pool. Oh hey, if I tiptoed I could reach the bottom after all.

...Should I tell her? Just like what she said, we only just met. Thinking about it, why do I even want to talk about it with this person? She doesn't know a thing about me. Or my past.

But it felt so natural. I felt so calm around her as if I've known her all my life. For the first time, it was as if I finally have someone I can open up to. My heart giddied with excitement just thinking about it.

...

"I want to know why you're strong."

I said it.

"Me?"

"Earlier, when you rushed into battle like that, I honestly thought you were gonna die."

She stared silently, her head tilted a bit to the side.

"I would have if I were to do that."

I would've died in an instant. I couldn't do what she did. Wasn't fast enough. I couldn't fight off that beast on my own. I would've been eaten alive.

Fleeing wasn't an option either. My legs froze in fear just from sensing their bloodlust. Their pain. Their desperation. All I could have ever done was hide and wait for the boss, then rejoice while he kills them without breaking a sweat.

...Pathetic.

"You take one look at me, and you see a tiny girl. Small, malnourished, couldn't lift a finger to save herself. Before Zephyr, I was alone. Before the boss, I was an orphan. I'm not even sure if I would still be alive if not for them."

The burns on my hand stung as I pushed off the edge of the bath and paddled myself afloat.

I continued. "You take one look at me, and you immediately know I was _weak._ You'd know that I haven't once fought on the battlefield, even though I spent my whole life living in one. You'd know I was a girl who spent her years running away from her problems; that I was a girl who wouldn't face them head on, but cowered behind those who did."

I managed to keep my head up by hopping while I waded around. "I was a leech. Zephyr only keeps me around because the boss says so. They don't care about me; they care about the boss. They only make me happy because it would make HIM happy.

"Yet, all this time, I had deluded myself into thinking everything was alright. That I could go on living in their shadow. Never standing up for myself or for others. It's sickening, right?"

The truth tasted bitter on my lips. I wanted to curl up on the floor and mope. Still, I wanted to know.

"That's why I want to be strong. Like you. Compared to the others in the corps, you were short like me. You don't wield huge weapons. And you don't seem to be the type for fancy arts either. You only had yourself to rely on.

"But in that one fight, you shone brighter than anyone that I have ever known. You were faster than anyone I have ever seen. And even with all that, you were smiling like you were having the time of your life.

"So… how?" I asked with as much sincerity I could muster. "How are you so strong? How were you able to overcome your own doubts and stand to fight?"

Her amber eyes met my own. We probably looked stupid from the outside, but I didn't care. I wanted to hear her answer. The words from her mouth flowed slowly.

"I'm strong… because I'm not."

...What?

"I guess I should start with a little backstory, huh?"

I nodded.

She relaxed her shoulders on the steel rim of our tub. With a sigh, she stared into the distance. "Once upon a time, I was an orphan like you. And just the same, I was taken in by my corps, the Northern Jaegers.

"At first it was just me. I was left alone here in the hall while I waited for the others to come back. Usually, they'd bring in lots of mira or souvenirs from abroad. Our leader would then use that money to finance our city.

"To the rest of Zemuria, he was just a common jaeger. To us though, he was a hero. It was only because of him that this city, and all its inhabitants, were still alive and kickin'."

She shifted around and gazed at me. I saw it in her eyes. That tiny tendril of darkness. Every Jaeger had it. The darkness that we kept apart from our hearts. The hell that we had to experience to become what we are. That same hell that engulfed our lives every day.

Just how much did she endure…?

"Anyway, long story short, I became a Jaeger because I wanted to be like our hero. I wanted to support our family here just as well as he could."

That word… "Family?"

"Yeah. Not just the Northern Jaegers. Everyone here we considered as part of our family. And it was because of that that we did what we did."

I didn't understand, but I kept quiet.

"Being a family means being there for each other, through thick and thin. You have to protect them, just as much as they would protect you. The guys here… they kept North Ambria standing, even when all the others left. Because of that, we were able to bring back what we could so that we all survived together. That was our leader's vision.

"I BELIEVED in that vision. That what we were doing was right. It's why I tore myself apart trying to be the best I could be."

A splash of water washed away her gloomy face and replaced it with a beaming smile.

"I'm strong because everything around me was strong. Our leader, his vision, the people of Haliask, and even the fruit trees buried beneath the snow. We all stood as one. Alone, I might have been weak. But together, we were able to regain some semblances of life back into this shithole we called our home.

"I'm strong because I want to protect those that had protected me. Those that had protected our way of life. To protect my family. They were the ones that gave me a pillar to stand on. They were the ones the responsible for my strength to shine in the battlefield as you said."

I… didn't know what to say.

"I'm not gonna preach anything about how Zephyr should treat you or whatnot. Those are your problems and I shouldn't meddle. But… did I answer your question?"

Her smile made me realize what I could say though.

"Yes. Thank you."

* * *

I'll cherish this memory forever. The awe I felt outside these walls. The words we shared in that small bath. The games we played in the snow. That face she had made when we got caught stealing some alcohol from the shed. Everything we did, I'll treasure it.

Was this what she meant by 'being a part of her family'?. She was so friendly and was so much fun to be around with. We laughed and laughed. It didn't even matter that we were from different corps.

She taught me so much. Showed me so much. Even though I never asked for any of it.

But like all good things, it had to come to an end. In my usual weak self, I wished that it wouldn't.

We were napping out in the garden when a black-masked man came to fetch us. The boss' meeting was over, he said. He also said that the lady should report to their leader right away. We chatted all the way back.

"What was that guy like?"

"Oh don't get me started. He was all edgy and _el macho_ and all that. He had this scary jaw that was as spiky as his hair," she said while squishing her face into a triangle.

...Just how can anyone have that kind of face?

"His strength with the sword was the real deal though. Managed to corner me a few times too. But…"

"But…?"

The lady went into a hysterical chuckle. She managed to gasp out her sentence though. "Y-you should have seen his face when I tried to seduce my way out. It was _hilarious."_

"Ohhhh…" Huh. Guess that tactic worked for army officials too. I'll take note.

"Commander Valestein!"

Uniformed men saluted the lady when we arrived in the main lobby. The once-empty room was now packed with jaegers from both our corps in a clash of white, black, and blue outfits. Xeno and Leo were waving to me far out back. The boss was busy talking to an older man wearing a white cape.

Oddly enough, there was little tension in the room, despite almost everyone, except me, was armed to the teeth.

"Valestein?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I haven't told you my name yet huh?" she said. The lady dismissed the men before she turned to me with a sheepish expression. Come to think of it, we never bothered to introduce ourselves. I was perfectly content just calling her 'lady'.

Hand outstretched, she smiled sweetly at me. "Sara Valestein. Second Squad Commander of the Northern Jaegers. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

My cheeks ached at how widely I smiled back. I wanted her to know me too.

"Filia. You can call me 'Fie' if you want though."

"Filia, huh? That's a cute name." Why thank you. "'Fee' though… As in 'contract fee'?"

I winced. "Nope."

"Mind if I call you 'Filly' then?"

"I don't really mind. Just don't call me 'Jaeger Princess'."

I was right about her hands. They _were_ small, yet firm and powerful as they shook mine. "Nice to meet you, Sara."

"Same to you, Filly~"

"Making friends, my daughter?"

We both turned towards the deep voice. It came from the regal-looking old man wearing the cape. A purple sword clung to his waist. Its design kinda reminded me of the lady's pistol.

"D-dad!"

Sara saluted the old man. Though looking closer, a faint blush was blazing on her cheeks. She stammered a bit when she greeted him in an unusually formal way.

I wonder if this old man's the person she liked. She said 'Dad' though. Curious.

The boss called out to me. Said it was time to get going. Too bad…

"Has my daughter been nice to you, little one?" the old man asked. I nodded my head out of habit. His mannerisms reminded me of Leo with his gruff voice yet gentle tone. So he really _was_ Sara's dad.

Sara moved behind me and pinched my shoulders. Pinched it a bit too tightly actually.

"Of course I was nice to her~ Ain't that right, Filly? See? She even let me give her a nickname!"

Her face leaned in just a _bit _too close for comfort. Some sweat beaded on her brow as she winked again. "C' mon, tell the good man how nice I was~"

I looked down at my hand.

I held it up so that her dad could see the mess of bandages on my fingers. "She gave me some explosive bullets and it went boom."

"H-hey-!"

"Did she now…" Ah. The boss heard. Crap. He was glaring while the old man chuckled.

Sara was aghast. "You traitor! It was an accident, Sir, I swear!"

Even the great Sara was afraid of the boss, it seems. Can't blame her, not with how he's scowling at her and my hand.

"I had fun," I said to defuse the situation. It worked quite well as the boss grinned and laughed. He really was a bonehead sometimes.

"Glad to see our daughters getting along. I hope you keep that in mind, Captain Valestein," the boss said as he clapped an arm on the old man's back. He had a somber but warm look to his face. It was a faint type of sadness, but it was easy to pick up if you had spent enough time with him.

Mr. Valestein had a pained expression. It looked sad too, but his eyes were as fierce as ever. He stood a bit taller while his cape swayed with the breeze. He muttered something, but I couldn't hear what it was.

The rest of Zephyr was outside, so I knew we had to go. It was when I held the familiar hand of the boss did an indescribable ache grip my chest. It was hard to breathe, but my legs kept walking.

Small hands clasped mine. They were blistered, yet smooth and warm.

I looked up at her. Tears were already clouding my eyes.

"See you again, Filly."

Her voice didn't crack, unlike mine. She didn't cry. She smiled with that same goofy grin she always had.

"Bye Sara…"

We'll meet again. I know we will. She'll come back. She's strong. Strong enough to protect herself _and_ her family. Like she said she would.

I believed in her.

* * *

...

Half of the Northern Jaegers were wiped out following their mission.

...I never saw her again.

* * *

**Key Fragment Chapter - Jaeger Princess - END**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am sorry for writing this # 2**

**Hope you can read initials!**

* * *

**Fragment Chapter VII: Packaged**

* * *

MR: EMMA MILLSTEIN. I DEMAND YOU EXPLAIN YOURSELF AT ONCE

EM: What where explain myself why?

MR: THE PACKAGE YOU SENT ME. WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR, RECOMMENDING ME SUCH TRAVESTY

EM: Package? And stop it with the caps lock, I can read it just fine. ^^

MR: ...I apologize. I am simply confused right now with the book I had just read. To be clear, you never sent me a package, correct?

EM: I have no recollection of sending you one, nor did I recommend you another book. Btw how was the last one? I would love to hear your thoughts on it. :)

MR: It was a wonderful read, of course. Little wonder it became known as a classic. Though it is a shame it ended in such a way; I was really looking forward to the Prince's final confrontation with his destined rival. But to find out the last volume was a cliffhanger, with no finale in sight… Such a waste.

FC: Does it bother you, Machias?

MR: It does.

FC: If you're feeling so frustrated, how about reading that new book again?

FC: I heard reading those kinds of stuff help you relax and unwind~

MR: Emma, are you seriously suggesting that?

MR: Wait

MR: FIE CLAUSSELL THIS WAS ALL YOUR DOING WASNT IT

FC: :P

MR: I KNEW IT

EM: I'm back!

EM: Sorry, Celine wanted to drink some milk from the fridge. What did I miss?

FC: hey Emma scroll up

MR: DONT

EM: Hi Fie!

EM: What are "those" kinds of stuff?

FC: Machias, if u would

MR: Why do I have to explain it? You do it.

MR: On second thought, don't.

MR: I would rather you not taint this chat with your crude and obscene language.

FC: those stuff was about a smutty romance between two guys doing this and that. Was amazingly hot with all the sex

FC: oops

MR: …

LA: What did I just read…

RS: I deeply apologize for her behavior right now.

RS: Please, everyone. If you could just delete your chat history, that would be great.

JA: Already did.

FC: Oh hey bby didnt know u were on. Had a gr8 day?

FC: You know I did ;)

AR: Fieeeee pls shut up now.

EC: This is getting a liiittttle bit awkward...

CA: I vote otherwise. Let the girl have her fun!

RS: I agree.

AR: Rean! Don't encourage her!

MR: Have some shame, Rean.

RS: NO WAIT!

RS: I wanted to agree with Alisa!

CA: Man… talk about a low blow for your bestie, Reanie.

EM: Ahahaha…

FC: speaking of blow

MR: NO

MR: DONT FINISH THAT SENTENCE

JA: Please for the love of Aidios. DO. NOT.

FC: Aww Reanieee theyre ganging up on mee :(

MO: yeah dont gang up on her jusis machias!

RS: I would like to say YOU started this, Fie. But everyone, play nice. It's too late in the evening to be arguing.

JA: What are you even doing up this late? Go back to bed.

CA: Woah there, did papa Jusis just scold little ol' Millium? How sweet.

AR: Awwwww~

LA: Well well, it appears Mr. Frostyface does have a heart after all.

GW: Agreed. When it comes down to it, Jusis is one big softie at heart.

MO: Ehehe ur not gonna make me jusees! Imma staying up alllll night

JA: Why would I even bother…?

EM: Make sure to get some sleep, okay Millium? You've got a big day ahead tomorrow.

MO: kayyyyyyy

FC: hey millium, wanna play?

MO: yeah sure

RS: You shouldn't stay up all night either, Fie. I don't want to hear rumors of you napping in hallways again.

FC: but I get so lonely without uuuu

RS: Fine… I'll call later, okay?

FC: yay

CA: Hey. Single ladies and gents here. Take the sap somewhere else or imma vomit. For reals

AR: Yeah Rean. :/

RS: How did it become MY fault…?

* * *

EM: Machias? You still awake?

MR: Yes.

MR: I find it easier to handle paperwork during the dead of night.

MR: What about you? You rarely send personal messages.

EM: Ahahaha. I just couldn't sleep, that's all.

EM: So uhhhhh anyway. About that book

MR: Which one?

EM: Uhm.. the one in the package.

MR: …

MR: What about it?

EM: Can you tell me the title? Pleeasee?

MR: Uhh

EM: Purely for reference of course!

EM: The library is no place for such smut righttt?

EM: Wouldn't want kids to accidentally read it right?

EM: Hahahahah

MR: …

EM: I'm sorry…

EM: Nevermind it.

MR: How's about I do us both a favor and give it to you for free?

EM: Huh? You really would?

EM: I mean, I won't read it of course.

EM: You sure?

MR: It's all yours.

EM: Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

* * *

**Directly in the style of textsfromkiseki Twitter posts. Go check them out!**

**Reviews, favs, follows are much appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Fragment Chapter: Birds of a Feather**

* * *

You wake up, parched as if dry sand seared your throat. You would get up, but the comfy scent of lavender caroused your nose, and the soft linen white sheets of your pillow were lulling you back to sleep. You turn and see your favorite mug beside your bed.

It had been a wonderful night, one of the best you ever had in your twenty-five years of life. The headache came, but not without the pleasurable memories that tingled your body. The cold embrace of your blanket wrapped around you, and then you feel it. A ruffle of warm mane. A mind-numbing sensation of smooth skin on your naked breasts. You look down, and you see him.

His face hid from yours as he snuggled deeper into your bosom, his dark blue hair tickling your every pore. He smelled of lavender too. Husky, yet intoxicating.

Your thoughts drift to last night once more. You remembered how close you were. How fragrant that scent was as you nuzzled his neck. How his incredible arms took away all your hesitations as they wrapped tighter and tighter around you. How his passionate hands felt scorching as he touched every part of you. How soft as cherry his lips were when you kissed him tirelessly.

He shuffled once more, and you couldn't help but grin.

_Poke his cheek. / __**Whisper into his ear.**_

You leaned closer, still keeping him in your bosom. "victor, wake up…"

He groaned, causing you to chuckle. He really was cute sometimes. But it seems he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

You tried to sit up, yet his hands suddenly moved. Your eyes widened.

_**Hold his hand.**_ _/ Let him touch you._

Maybe not this morning. Your fingers intertwined, and you felt a gentle squeeze. You returned the favor by grabbing his other hand too. And now both of them are locked in a tight embrace.

He looked up, and your eyes met. The tease.

Wrong word. As if reading your mind, he started nipping at the skin of your cleavage. His tongue slid up your neck, and you shivered as his breath sent shivers down your spine.

His words, though few, sent your heart aflutter.

"Good morning… Sara…"

* * *

"Eheheheheh... Good morning too, dearie~" The near middle-aged woman snorted and chuckled. Her fuchsia hair was a complete mess, and a faint trail of blood dripped from her nose.

_"Did you have a good night's sleep, my darling?" _The deep, manly voice said through the orbal television.

Another creepy chuckle. "Oh, you. Of course, I didn't~"

_Stand up. / __**Let him carry you.**_

Sara pressed the button on her controller, then an artistically beautiful computer-generated image of her character being cradled by her handsome lover filled the screen. Both women blushed madly. One chuckled maniacally.

Crow entered the living room of his small flat with a breakfast tray in hand. He wished he hadn't.

But this was HIS flat.

"Uh… a bit early for games, doncha think, Sara?"

No response. She was still dressed in her pajamas for crying out loud.

Still, being the gentleman he is, Crow placed her share of breakfast on the table in front of the television. This was the third day since Sara came over, and he was silently glad that there were no bottles of alcohol littering his rooms yet.

A new record. Maybe Sara getting addicted to her game was actually a _good _thing.

Oh, wait— no. Another sex scene. He tried not to look at either scantily-clad women to preserve his sanity.

It was an excruciatingly _loud _breakfast that day.

"Ahhhh~ Another one down, two to go!" Sara exclaimed, having finished her game sometime after Crow had washed the dishes. Her hands dug through her bag, and she fished out another case. She plucked the disk out and replaced it with the one on her game console. Or rather, Crow's.

It was a gift from Alisa for helping out with the initial experiments of the Orbal Television, in particular, the video games department the little short stack from the Epstein Foundation spearheaded.

He just didn't realize how… _widespread_ the genres some video games could be. His eyes glanced over to his own prized collection which he would never ever play with anyone else, especially the girls. Except maybe with Rean.

The game started, and on the title screen was a young woman surrounded by a harem of attractive looking gentlemen. Some were wilder than others, but most were unusually _old_ compared to the female protagonist.

Crow winced. "More of those?"

Sara seemed offended, for lack of a better word. "_This_ one's different, I'll have you know! One of the top-rated visual novels for the CrossBox, according to my sources."

"Yeah… but shouldn't you be, I don't know, getting ready for work?"

"Toval owes me one. So I'm taking it easy today."

"Don't tell me you're gonna sit here all day and play!"

"Oh, c' mon Crow. Have a heart!" the former instructor pleaded. "You know you're the only person I can trust with this secret of mine!"

"Then go get your own game console!"

Sara's brows furrowed in thought. "Hmm… I could… but to do that I'm gonna need someplace permanent to keep my games in. I could rent an apartment… but that'd mean Fie would just bunk in with me. And I can't let her find out about this. Ever."

With a snap of her fingers, she grinned triumphantly. "Welp, there you have it. Can't risk it. I'm afraid you're just gonna have to bear it with me, my buddy ol' pal~!"

"GET OUT."

* * *

**Why'd you think she went to Jurai in the first place?**

**omegazero2718 - Thank you very much. And yes I am glad you have great tastes in shipping xD**

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**See ya.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Fragment Chapter: Zero Points**

* * *

Trista— the place where everything started; the place where his life came together. The same patterns on the pavements, the same aroma of Kirsche's homemade pizzas and the same kiss of zephyr greeted him when he stepped past the station doors. Nothing changed, except the height at which he could reach the trees.

Tiny snowflakes drifted down from the sky and blanketed the small town. They were everywhere, from the glistening lampposts to the concrete roads and the smooth tiled rooftops of the Boutique. Behind him, the familiar toll of the bell was followed by the rush of steel along the tracks. Time moved ever onward it seems, but he wished to the Goddess that it would go faster just so he could see the lino flowers bloom.

A wind blew past him as the soft hum of an orbal car motored away. Then another. Can't say he missed the silence. Trista was never known for its traffic, but he could hardly blame the drivers. It was a charming place to sightsee, and often times if the days permitted, he would take a cruise here using his own orbal motorbike.

The sloshing of wheels stopped, and he crossed over to the park, the glass leaves sparkling like the countless stars in the sky. A shard chipped off when they rustled again. Calm and gentle, his eyes followed its trail through the air.

It rested on a bed of satin silver hair napping on a bench. He couldn't stop the nostalgia from smearing his face with a smile. Nothing's changed indeed.

The girl's eyes fluttered open. Her sleepy gaze focused lazily on him, and he could see a thin sheen of tears glimmering on her irises. He wasn't that late, was he?

Thankfully not; the beam on her face stated otherwise. With feline grace, the girl shot up to her feet and twirled, her ponytail flowing with her every gesture. Light patches of snow dusted her dark green scarf, and she flicked them away. She had come in the unexpected blue of the branch campus, borrowed from Aidios knows who and despite herself having been graduated years ago.

He'd dare say it suited her quite well. The attire's muted colors highlighted her white skin and shining silver hair, and the formality exuding from the uniform clashed with her little devilish cheeks and teasing smirk. She was slim yet curvaceous, the tight fit cutting an attractive figure as the fabric hugged her body. Her short, pleated skirt gave way to long pitch-black tights- he had to restrain himself from commenting on how toned her legs were. Were those a pair of new-model Stregas too?

Through all that, her bright green eyes twinkled mischievously.

"How do I look?" she asked.

In one word: beautiful— but he wasn't brave enough to fall into her trap that easily.

"You know, I could get in trouble if a rumor spreads about me flirting with a student."

"Cheapskate."

He laughed. If she had been fishing for compliments, she didn't need to overdo it— simply show up, and he'd still see her as heavenly.

She was the love of his life after all. But she already knew that.

"You're here as a temporary instructor. At least dress the part," he scolded.

"I just have to look like one, right? Oh, I know."

Even years of training and months being together, he still couldn't believe how fast she could move. In the split-second he had to blink, the girl had skipped next to him and pulled the glasses right off his face. With another twirl, she put it on in a mock impression of a certain green-haired bespectacled classmate of theirs.

"How about now?" she asked again.

"You look like a smart student." He shrugged when her cheeks puffed in annoyance. "...Or a petite professor."

"Do I look cute though?"

"I thought you were always cute?"

"True," she said. Her chest rose, and she stood pridefully with her hands on her hips. "I got to play up my cuteness just so the kids could get to see how _cool_ and _mature_ I am."

Mature indeed. "Most of them are just a year younger than you."

"T-that's not the point!" Oh, but it very much is. Apparently, she had not thought her plan through.

"We wouldn't want to ruin that image by being late then." With a gentleman's curtsy, he winked to his lifelong partner. "Ready to head out, Instructor Claussell?"

"Yep. But, uhm…" Her cheeks suddenly flushed in response. She found staring at the nearby trees entertaining as she held out her hand.

He clasped it in his.

"...I give full marks. You're getting better at this, Schwarzer. Reading a girl's heart."

"Well, I have this one amazing teacher."

"_Ohh._ You mean Sara— mhh?!"

He saw a glare before his eyes closed and his lips tasted an indescribable warmth. They parted, and it was a shame their kiss lasted all for a brief moment.

"I meant you, of course."

She whimpered, then an overwhelmingly red blush burst on her face. "...I take it back. Zero points. You can't read a girl's heart at all!"

Well, that just meant he needed to work hard for that extra credit. "C' mon. We'll take the long way there."

With a heart-thumping giggle, she clung to his arm, and he could smell the flowery perfume on her hair. It was freesia, he believed. A bit early, but he didn't care. It was an alluring scent, but just as innocent as her smile. Together after so long, they strolled towards the gates of their academy.

Tiny snowflakes drifted down from the sky and blanketed the small town. They were everywhere, from the glistening lampposts to the concrete roads and the smooth tiled rooftops of the Boutique. Behind them, the familiar toll of the bell was followed by the rush of steel along the tracks. Time moved ever onward it seems, but he wished to the Goddess that it would stop just so he could be with her like this forever more.

He didn't feel cold at all.

* * *

**I. NEED. HEALING.**

**Vampuric Spider - Thank you very much! I hope I can continue to write to your liking.**

**Reviews, favs and follows are appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	10. Chapter 10

"So we gotta write down our wish here or something?"

"Yup!" the tiny girl exclaimed. A midget of sorts. "Then we all hang it up on the tree for the two lovers to see it and so they can grant our wish! Or that's how the legends go supposedly."

"But, if it's to celebrate the two lovers meeting, why would they bother with our wishes?" The rotund boy had always been the nosy monkey. He had to be careful not to accidentally appear knowledgeable to the geeky mechanic, lest he comes heaping more and more questions on him.

"Don't you get it, George?" the girl said. She wasn't a teacher, but the way she had her hands on her hips reminded him of one. "On this day, every year, their wish of seeing each other once again is granted to them. Ever since then, it was widely believed that, in the lover's happiness, they chose to grant the people's wishes as thanks for helping them reunite with each other."

"Ohh, I getcha."

A disturbance to his personal space. Looking to his side, the purple-haired noble was leaning forward in front of him. Her eyes were shining in the glow of their campfire. He didn't mind camping out in the wilderness, but their tiny leader insisted they do. As it turned out, she wanted to observe the stars tonight. Too bad it was cloudy.

"What'd you wish for, Towa?" the woman asked.

The girl erupted into a massive blush. That really got the woman's attention. She whistled and he blinked. The woman wasn't there anymore and had instead gotten the tiny girl in a headlock.

"A-Angie, noooo!"

"What's got you blushing, my dearie? The only OBVIOUS explanation is that you wished for a guy's heart, am I right?" The woman ruffled the girl's neatly brushed hair into a bushy mess, all while she whined like a helpless little puppy.

He did note that the woman could have easily stolen the girl's paper and read it herself. She chose not to.

"I-I just wished for my aunt and grandfather's health, that's all!" the girl shouted, probably as a desperate plea for the woman to spare her hair. "I won't be able to make it for the summer festival too, so I wished that they'd have fun without me…"

Oh. He himself wanted to enjoy the festival, but his tiny group was assigned several field studies for the coming weeks. No thanks to a lazy instructor of theirs. The fuchsia-haired woman said she had a date with a friend, though she kept mum about who.

Another figure in his space. This time portly. He had meat skewers in his hands, even though dinner was a couple of hours ago. "What about you, Angie?"

The woman smirked. Lustfully.

"Nevermind," the boy said immediately. He saved himself from dwelling on the thought by chomping on his skewers. "Aw, man, wish I could have wished for more of these skewers. They're-mpph- amazing."

"What DID you wish for, George." the girl said, hands patting away the tangled locks in her hair.

"Me? Well…" The boy pondered on it. The girls waited for his reply with gleeful anticipation.

With a swallow and a drink of his flask later he followed it up. "I already got my wish, so I just wished that I could continue enjoying my wish. If that makes sense."

"What do you mean?"

"We got these cool looking things straight from the forges of Reinford, right? I still get all giddy whenever I get to tinker with it."

"Ohhh. Gotta admit these "ARCUS" units are quite handy."

"And powerful too," the woman added.

"We're free to experiment on these babies all year round. I mean, I couldn't ask for anything better than that!" Another munch, and another skewer in the bin. "Except for giant robots, but they aren't real."

Giant robots weren't real. _Riiiight…_

Just as he was imagining how to break the news to the boy, three pairs of eyes were on him.

"What about you, Crow?" the Rogner woman asked him. By the way, her blue eyes were glimmering with the fire, he wouldn't be able to weasel himself out so easily. "What's your wish?"

He couldn't respond — because he hasn't written one yet.

"C' mon dude, we're waiting on you. Spill it," the woman said.

"Can't say I'm not curious myself," the boy added.

"I — "

"Guys, if Crow doesn't want to share it, then he has no obligation to. We shouldn't force him," the girl said to his rescue.

Not that he needed it.

The woman clicked her tongue. "Fine. I'll stop for you, Towa."

The boy was back to silently gorging on his food. A bit of disappointment was clear on his rapid chewing, however.

"I'm so sorry for their behavior, Crow." Sighing, the girl shook her head. She addressed him with a kind smile. "You haven't written one yet, right?"

How did she know? "Uh… yeah. Sorry."

"That's fine. Tell me when you do, and we'll hang up ours together."

...Not calling them by names was getting annoying. "Sure. Thanks, Towa."

"Ehehe, you're welcome."

"Actually…" It was cheesy, but it was better than nothing.

"Hm? You're writing one now?" Towa asked.

It was one word. Written boldly across the tiny piece of paper. He handed it over to Towa.

She looked at him pensively, but his curt nod told her he was fine with it.

_Friends._

"...Wow. I didn't peg you the type for cheesy stuff like that, Crow," George said.

"Do you even HAVE friends— "

"Angie!" Towa yelled scoldingly.

" — outside the three of us, I mean. I'm honestly curious."

"Same here."

"C' mon guys, don't pressure him," Towa said. "I'm sure Crow has some, and he has his reasons."

"That'll do right?" he said. He didn't mean anything deeper by it. Safety for his comrades and all that. He wasn't in the mood to spout sappy stuff like that.

Towa smiled cheerfully. "Yup."

* * *

Obviously, they can't plant a tree themselves, so they took some time off from their studies to go hunt for the perfect one. The one their leader wanted was a clearing away from their camp, but no one had the guts to really argue with Towa about it.

The girl's cheerful smile grew brighter as she hopped over to their makeshift tree. Angelica and George's papers were already there on the top half, leaving the lower half for their petite friend. It was thin; Towa explained that it looked similar to a bamboo tree from Calvard.

None of them had seen one, and Towa confessed she only saw one from her books. It would have to do, regardless.

Towa folded his wish paper delicately and gave it back to him. "As promised, let's hang them together, Crow."

They did so. He didn't expect Towa to complain, though.

"H-hey… put them together! Mine will get sad all alone like that."

Wishes can get sad? Still, her pouting was enough to convince him to tie his paper right next to hers — on the highest branch the tiny girl could reach. The bouncing smile she gave him was just the icing on the cake.

"Ah— !"

A gust of wind blew past them, rustling their tree. The papers held, but that didn't stop the girl beside him from getting worried.

Another one, this time magnitudes stronger. The tree stood strong, but Crow heard a whimper.

"I hope it doesn't rain…"

"What happens if it does?" he asked.

Towa bit her lip. Her once shimmering eyes dimmed. "The legends say that if the weather today is bad, then the two lovers wouldn't get to see each other."

"That's it?" No celestial disasters or something?

"It is. Even so, it's still very sad!" Towa pouted. "They only get to see each other once every year, and to have it ruined by something like that…"

"But it's been sunny all day."

"I know… but I wanted to see the stars too… Ah— !"

As if on cue, a droplet of rain splashed on her nose. Her yelp was drowned out by the downpour that came soon after. The other two were already frantically packing their camp.

Both of them were drenched, and he never thought he'd see so much panic on the small's girl's face. "No…!"

Firmly, he gripped Towa's hand and tried to pull her away.

She wouldn't budge.

"Towa, Crow! Let's go!" George shouted from behind them, barely audible from the rain.

"...You guys go on ahead. I'll take care of Towa."

He thought he heard George agree, but his focus was on the girl whimpering before him. He saw a cave nearby, so he took her into his arms and carried her there. "You okay?"

"Our wishes…" she said weakly.

They were gone. As easy as that. Soaked slips of paper barely hanging on the tree. The lovers may be powerful spirits, but he doubted they can read that.

He really didn't care. It was just superstition, anyway.

...That felt bad. Especially with how Towa was crying on her knees.

Without thinking, he draped his blazer over her head. It was one of those moments he preferred wearing his winter uniform to his summer one.

"This day's the worst!" Towa shouted. That was the second time he heard her complain about something, like, ever. More noticeable because it echoed in the small cave. "First, we couldn't watch the stars, and now our wishes are ruined."

"Mhh, yeah. Seems like it." He's had worse.

"And now… the lovers can't meet each other. Even when they really wanted to…"

"...Wouldn't they get stranded instead?" he asked hypothetically.

"Eh?"

"It's midnight. They had all day together, and it's about time for them to go their separate ways. But they can't travel in the rain, so doesn't that mean they get to stay with each for much longer?"

Towa gaped. His blazer slipped to her shoulders as she tilted her head. "Uhm… I'm not sure."

"Just because they're forced apart, doesn't mean that they can't spin some stuff to their advantage. Make the most of their time together. Get what I'm sayin'?"

They were already together. Why would they _not?_

"That's the first time I've heard someone think of it like that…" Was it? The girl really needed to get out more.

"And besides," he added. "They meet every year, for pretty much all eternity. What's one year compared to that? Wouldn't they have even MORE to talk about after being apart for longer?"

"Crow…"

"What I would give to see Gramps for one more day... "

"Your Gramps?"

Shit. "...Forget it."

"No no. Tell me!" Towa pleaded. Clear, pearly beads trickled down her cheek, and he was reminded how determined the small girl could get if she wanted to. Wasn't she the one who said that if he didn't want to share, they can't force him? What happened to that?

Apparently, Towa realized her hypocrisy a moment too late. Her eyes widened and she covered her gasped mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Crow! I shouldn't have asked— "

"He's dead. Killed."

Dude. What the hell.

"O-oh… I see…"

Towa dropped the topic after, thankfully. Not much else to do except sit and wait, he huddled right next to her. The rain was still roaring outside, and bathing in the rain wasn't in their field study itinerary.

Neither was having to comfort a cute girl. "Why is celebrating this so important for you, anyway?"

"…"

"Hey. Don't go quiet on me now. You got me opening up more than all year. Least you could do is throw me a bone here."

Towa blinked. "I did?"

"Uh, _duh?_" Was she seriously this dense?

"Oh… hehe."

"Shut up. Don't make me regret it."

"Oh?" Her eyes squinted teasingly. "Shut up? Didn't you say you wanted me to open up too? I was about to go _on and on_ about my family. Personal secrets, and all that~."

"'Gelica taught you how to tease. Splendid." Goddess, please don't give him a mini-Rogner to deal with. One would last a lifetime.

"Then, I guess it's only fair I should start with my family. I'm…"

An orphan, like him. Lost both from a plane crash years ago. Granddaughter of a famous astronomer. Now class president and unofficial leader of their merry little band of misfits.

And misfits did _fit_ them quite so. Not at his request, Towa also let slip some secrets about the other members of their group.

Angie had been exactly what he'd thought she was. Rousey, hormone-driven and estranged daughter of Marquis Rogner. She was from a different class; Class I, but acted as if she was a commoner like them.

He had to agree. She wasn't exactly the most typical of noble ladies. Take away the boobs, and she'd practically be a man in personality alone.

Have it or not, it had actually been Towa that first broke the ice with the noble. He thought it was the other way around, considering the raging lesbian was infatuated with her.

He'd ask more about how, but Towa squeaked and clammed up.

George though, he didn't expect to be the secretive type. No memories of his childhood nor his birth parents. Not like they believed that. His chipper personality and friendliness made it difficult to broach the subject, so Towa let it be.

He wasn't in a position to argue.

"Oh yeah, I haven't actually answered your question, huh? Sorry," Towa said after what had been minutes since he asked.

"Uh…" He forgot what it was himself.

"If I'm honest, the reason I had us do this… was so that we could get closer to each other."

That was… direct. He suddenly found himself quite conscious of the fact that they were mere riges from one another. Towa noticed too, went red, stammered but thankfully didn't scream.

She coughed her blush away. "I meant all FOUR of us. Closer, as a group."

"Start with that next time 'mkay?" He had to remind his beating heart that the midget was a _minor._

"A-anyway, you know how I said that on this day, lovers from distant stars come together right? Well, I figured they could help us out too."

"Uh huh." And they called HIM cheesy.

"Don't laugh! It was a great idea!" Towa exclaimed. Her rare, stern expression came with a force. "I hope you know I did this primarily for YOU, Crow."

"Me?"

"Yeah, _duh. _It's been almost half a year now and you're still the only one that we feel left out. Haven't you noticed?"

More like didn't care.

"Well… I guess it doesn't really matter. I got my wish," Towa said.

"Hm?"

"Truth be told, I lied. Teehee~."

"Spill."

"I wished for a chance to talk to you, Crow. And after reading yours, it made me really happy you felt the same way."

...

She huddled her tiny legs closer, hiding her wide, goofy grin in her knees. "The lovers heard our pleas and they granted it. Told you the legends were real."

"...I didn't do much talking though."

"That's true." It sounded disappointed, but her voice was beaming with optimism. "I suppose there's always next year."

"Yeah… Next year..."

"And the year after, and so on and so forth. I'll get you to talk a lot someday, mister. You can count on it!"

...This _really _wasn't on the itinerary. At this point, he'd rather get washed up somewhere far, far away.

But of course, his luck ran out when the rain outside stopped.

"We should probably get going. Angie might get sick worrying about us," Towa said. She absentmindedly pushed her arms into the sleeves of her jacket and dusted herself off.

_His _blazer, he was too exhausted to even point out. Whatever.

"And Crow?" She stopped at the entrance and turned towards him. Her hair clung to her forehead and she was shivering, but the girl was radiating a glowing warmth.

"Thanks," she said softly.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Hehe. No reason." Towa kept giggling even after they left the cave. Much as with the witch, women were hard to read sometimes. He shrugged and followed her. It didn't take long for the other two to find them, afterward, completing their tiny little study group.

An estranged daughter of a noble.

A boy with no memories.

An orphan trying to find her place in the world.

And him, a terrorist pretending to be a student.

Crow Armbrust laughed. They really _were _a bunch of misfits. He'd fit right in.

_Friends, huh…?_

* * *

"Crow?"

"Hm?"

"What're you doing? Tie your wish already," Instructor Towa scolded. "Don't tell me… you haven't written it yet, huh?"

He chuckled and grinned at the woman. Even years later, he still didn't know how she knew. "Yeah yeah, I'm writing it."

"What's it gonna be this time, Crow? More girls?" Angelica said.

George gawked at her. "Angie. Seriously?"

"_What? _I don't mind the competition."

"Oh shush, you two. Let him think!" Towa was still the shortest of them, but her attire, personality, and strict scolding were really befitting of their leader.

Some things never changed.

"Here."

Towa's face scrunched, puzzled at the tiny slip of paper containing his wish. "Uh, Crow? This is blank."

"No. I definitely wrote it down. It's in invisible ink."

"Uh huh. Nice try."

"Just hang it like that. I already got my wish anyway."

"You sure?" Towa asked. A knowing smile crept up her lips.

He returned it with his own. "Yup."

Towa did so. On the branches far above was 'Gelica and George's in violet and yellow paper, respectively. And down below was theirs. Blue and pink, tied together neatly in a bow. It was a quiet midnight, normal people milking the most of the sunday night for sleep before work beckons them tomorrow. A small part of his heart wanted some festivities, parades, games and food. But, sometimes the best celebrations are those done in small groups.

Like their merry little band of misfits.

"Sooooo… what DID you wish for?" Towa asked him, her head tilted playfully.

"Girls."

"Oh haha. Fine, keep it to yourself. I wasn't interested, anyway." Her eyes narrowed, but her jealous expression never left. "I'll get you to admit it next year."

"And so on and so forth. Talk about deja vu."

"Not gonna stop until you start talking, mister."

Crow winked. "And, I'm counting on that."

"Damn right!"

Because that's what friends do. Right?

* * *

**Fragment Chapter - A Blank Wish**

* * *

**Literally woke up, realized it's Tanabata and wrote this all day. Sorry for the lack of editing. Happy Star festival.**

**Reviews, favs, follows are appreciated. **

**See ya.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Fragment Chapter: How to Train Your Capture King**

* * *

Tio Plato was eighteen years old. Legally, she was allowed to drink alcohol. In practice though, Randy told her to wait until she was twenty-one. He wouldn't explain why; he just laughed and dodged the question until she chose to drop it.

Given her situation now, maybe that was for the best. She took a nibbling sip from her juice. Lemon.

"WHAT did I do WRONG, Tio?" Elie said— slurred, actually. The foam framing her mouth was all kinds of disgraceful, but she yapped on regardless. "I mean, I'm kind and nice, RIGHT? I'm WIFE material, riggghtttt?"

"Uhm…" How should she respond? Elie's current behavior _wasn't _typical of a wife. At least, Tio thought it wasn't. It was probably only attractive for men like Randy, and as a blossoming young woman herself, she had to be diligent to not degrade into a drunkard bachelorette like Ilya.

"Heyyyyy, bartender," Elie called out. Thankfully, it wasn't for another glass of beer. The bar was running out of clean ones. "I'm pretty, right? ATTRACTIVE, and SWEET, and YOUNG, and…"

Elie continued to dole out self-targeted praises for herself as the barman nodded along. Tio didn't need her Aeon Systems to know that he wasn't actually listening.

Frankly, neither was her. Tio took another sip and dunked her cookie into a tub of ice cream. She only came for the free food courtesy of Elie.

...and also to restrain her if her drunken antics ever got out of hand.

Who else would? Randy was obviously out, she neither trusted nor _wanted _Wazy to be anywhere near a drunken Elie, and Noel and Lloyd were currently preoccupied with work.

Speaking of which…

"That stupid Lloyd… stupid stupid stupid," Elie rambled.

Tio had to agree. If anything extraordinarily bothersome happens, blame Lloyd. He deserves it.

"Damn his stupidly good lips… They're so GOOD, Tio!"

...Okay?

"He says he loves me right before we went to save KeA. He said he'd never leave me for anything. Then this whole Erebonia stuff happens and he's like: 'I'm sorry, Elie, but for everyone's sake let's end it here'."

Tears formed in her eyes. Tio handed her a napkin and politely declined when Elie returned it a snotty blowing of noses later.

She continued. "I mean, I understand! He did it for ME too. BUT STILL! If he wanted to be a criminal, I would have STAYED by HIS SIDE! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT COUPLES DO!"

Wasn't easy finding the time for relationships when you're under constant threat of arrest, Tio reckoned.

"Then when all was said and done, he and his ADORABLE face come crawling back, saying he wants to rekindle the flame. You could have just rejected him right there, Elie, but nooooooo. You SMACKED your lips into his without a second thought! Holy Hells, they were AMAZING."

The handle of Elie's flagon cracked from her grip.

Tio was used to the cold. One of her crafts was named _Absolute Zero_ after all. But absolute zero was like scorching summer compared to how the temperature in the room dropped.

A dark and glum aura enshrouded Elie. Her body swayed with intoxicated rage. The killing intent radiating from every fiber of her being threatened to choke the entire bar. Tio scooched her chair slightly away.

"But what do you know. The FIRST thing he does after saying that, he takes an airship to CALVARD. With RIXIA, of all people! HOW am I supposed to compete with someone like RIXIA MAO?"

And now they were back at the present. "HOW TIO?"

Tio Plato sighed.

* * *

_One week later, on the outskirts of Tyrell, capital of Calvard._

Tio failed to control the twitching of her brow.

"Thanks for coming here on such short notice, Tio. I owe you one," Lloyd said.

What irritated her was not the fact that she had to book a flight the day after she got back to Leman. It was not the fact that _somehow_, Lloyd broke his ARCUS again and needed a replacement. It was not the fact that he had _once again_ got himself into all sorts of trouble upon coming here and chose not to tell her about it.

No. It was because of the simple fact that Lloyd, dubbed the 'Capture King', had captured a harem of busty Calvardian women swooning all over him in the span of a week.

A blonde babe was all but clinging to his arm as she tried calling for his attention. Lloyd waved her off with his signature infuriating thick-headedness.

Tio wasn't alone, it seems. Rixia's face was similarly frozen in a deep and unreadable expression. Her eyes shifted dangerously as they scrutinized every single movement of the polygamous man.

"So about my ARCUS…"

"Stand still," Tio demanded.

Clueless, Lloyd followed her orders as a staff materialized into Tio's hands. "What's that for?"

Tio didn't answer and instead raised the staff high overhead. Dense water energy crystallized at the head, turning the orbal staff into a mallet of ice.

She promptly _smashed_ it against Lloyd's shins.

Eyes bulging out in pain, Lloyd struggled to remain standing as the creeping cold agony suffused his legs. "W-what was that for?!" he wheezed out.

"For being stupid," Tio said in all honesty. Staff across her shoulder, she glared daggers into the suffering man. His harem was divided into those trying to help him up, and those cowering in fear lest they incur her wrath.

Rixia nodded, an indulgent smile on her lips.

Tio Plato sighed. _What a bother._

* * *

**I realized I havent used the Crossbell cast as much as I should, so here ya go. My take on Falcom and Lloyd's unresolved sexual tensions.**

**Reviews, favs and follows are much appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Fragment Chapter: Birthday Present**

* * *

Orchis Tower. Forty floors of man-made wonder. Rean forgot exactly how high it was, and as an Instructor, that would spell the end for his reputation. It was midday, so the clear glass windows of the tower glimmered like dazzling plates under the sun. Warm enough to be comfortable, but the altitude at the top floor made for gusty weather. And gusty made eating lunch a bit difficult.

Rean had to remind himself that the topmost floor of a skyscraper was _not_ the usual place to have lunch. He was also sure no one was allowed up here; they only got through because they got Aurelia's permission.

It was his birthday, after all.

"Don't like it?" Fie asked. Her eyes were staring intently at the basket of fish and chips on his lap, barely touched. They lit up when he bit into one of the slices. "Oh…"

He hasn't even told her how good it was. "It's delicious, Fie. Thank you."

"Heh, I already know how delicious it is. Who do you think made it?" Fie could hide it all she wants with haughtiness, but there was no denying the blush that dusted her cheeks. That blush only grew when Rean held out a chip for her to nibble on. She did the same for him, their shoulders leaning on each other now.

The crunchy texture blended well with the herby aroma of the fish, and the mildness of the batter was a pleasing contrast to the strong flavor of the tartar. It wasn't what Rean expected to have for lunch, but Fie said to not eat too much or he would ruin the surprise. He wasn't planning to anyway, considering the party they're going to be having later at night.

Looking out at the horizon, Rean could see the construction of the previously obliterated Garrelia Fortress, the last couple of years doing the bare minimum repairing that gigantic hole in the earth. Below was the busy, industrial streets of Crossbell. Dozens of cars wheeling to their destinations, trying to get by the sea of people traveling to and fro. Over to the side were the grassy green landscapes of the Nord Highlands. Rean half-wondered if there were mountains as tall as Orchis Tower hidden somewhere there.

For some reason, Fie had been insistent they come here. One of her schemes, most likely. Still, he didn't want to bum his girlfriend by being a spoilsport.

"It's funny. Three years ago, we nearly blew this place up," Fie said.

"_We_ didn't. We stopped the ILF from doing that, remember?"

August 31st was when they stopped the railway guns from blasting the tower to smithereens. The day after, September 1st, was a certain silver-haired girl's birthday.

"All I'm saying is: giant explosions _tend _to be pretty awesome as birthday presents, in my opinion," Fie said, a noticeable roll to her eyes.

"You could have told us that it was your birthday and we would've gotten you an even more awesome one."

"Not as awesome as the one _I'm_ about to give you."

Their lunch finished, Fie stood up and Rean followed her to a corner of the platform. It was tempting to look down, but he willed himself not to. "Alright, 'fess up. Why bring me up here?"

"For your birthday present," was Fie's simple reply. "Close your eyes."

Sighing, Rean obliged. He could probably guess what it was and what she was about to do. Still, he smiled. They kissed numerous times before, but Fie always melted into a puddle of embarrassed goop whenever it involved the lips. And Rean always would, as revenge for her constant teasing. It was cute how innocent she was sometimes.

Anytime now. Not that he was eager or anything.

A foot shoved him backward...

...right off the edge of the building.

"Eh?" was all Rean could say before his eyes met the glaring sun. The sky was a beautiful blue, puffy white with clouds and dotted with the occasional birds flapping in the distance, the wind patted his face and back as —

He was _falling_.

"AHHHHH!"

A silver blur leaped off the spire and sped towards him. Fie had an endlessly mischievous smile plastered on her face while she fell with him, their skydiving forms reflected gracefully on the glass windows.

They were _still falling._

Rean remembered how tall Orchis Tower was now. They were nearly a quarter of the way down. Still plummeting. He was _pretty sure_ a fall from this height was lethal.

They were STILL FALLING. And he was STILL SCREAMING.

Fie held him close, this time with a wink. Rean couldn't feel the arm around his back— he was more concerned with the rising sensation up his stomach. His heavy ribs threatened to burst out of his chest. He could feel it now: the ground crushing his tiny head into gooey chunks of brain matter and gory blood.

Halfway down and they were still falling. The bottom of the tower grew closer and closer. Rean clamped his eyes shut as they neared the inevitable splat.

That all changed when he felt himself soaring through the air. Rean dared to look. Tugging on the line, Fie stretched the elastic rope taut. They swung.

His guts wanted to eject itself out of his throat along with his screams, but the gusts of wind kissing his cheeks felt amazing. Over and across the sides of Orchis Tower, like a pendulum revolving on its axis. His body was weightless, carried effortlessly by the girl cradling him. Holding on for dear life, Fie giggled nonstop.

The hook detached from the ledge and Fie fired her grappling gun again. Rean couldn't breathe for a moment when she did, but his smile widened like a maniac when they dove faster this time. His panic turned into exhilaration as they went around and around, teetering ever closer to the ground.

Fie hugged him tight as a bed of orbal wind cushioned their sudden drop. They rolled onto the roof of a nearby building.

Rean laughed like a hysterical madman. Heart pounding, it thumped louder and louder in his ears. His lungs ached, and the fish and chips were one bad lurch away from being vomited. He could see the beautiful sky again, but it was so incredibly beautiful now when he saw Fie's face with it, her silver hair a charming, windblown mess.

Sat atop his lap, she smiled brightly at him, the red flush adorning her cheeks glowing like fire. "And that was Fie's One Way Express Trip down Orchis Tower," she said, panting as well. "Care to ride again?"

Rean had to heave a few gasping breaths before he could respond. There was, however, only one obvious answer.

"CAN I?"

* * *

**Define wholesome.**

**Reviews, favs, follows are appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Key Fragment Chapter: Sick Day**

* * *

"I'll be fine Emma…"

It was just a cold; not that big of a deal. It was early morning— she was supposed to be tending the gardens with Edel, but that plan was looking as bleak as the grey weather outside. Distant thunder rumbled the Old Dormitory they called their home. Thankfully, Sharon saw it fit to mend the dilapidated sections of the building, making it as rainproof as possible— not a single leaking floorboard in sight.

"It's most certainly _not _fine, Fie," Emma said as she poked her forehead. "How many times do I have to tell you you can't just go farming monsters on your own while it's raining? Stay there and rest."

"But I'm fine— "

There it was. Her cute sneeze. Emma's now the third one to hear it after Rean under, funnily enough, the same circumstances. The snot on her nose dripped annoyingly down her mouth. She'd blow it but it was getting tiring after the bajillionth time; her sinuses won't clear up no matter how much she tried.

Okay… maybe she DID feel a bit 'not fine'.

"Don't worry," Emma said with a tender smile, "we'll come to visit you throughout the day. And if there's anything you need, just call Sharon."

"...Will I fail my classes, president?" she asked. The fake worry in her tone could choke a horse. How many times has she skipped class now?

Not as much as Crow's, she'd wager.

"Nonsense." With bravado as big as her bosom, Emma puffed out her chest and looked her straight in the eye. "Let _me_ talk to the Instructors. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

Head pounding, she laid down on the pillow, content on trusting her friend. Her very first, actually, among Class VII. Emma pulled the blanket over her as she rubbed silver hair. "Get some rest, Fie."

"Oh sure, I'll look after her. _You_ _didn't even need to ask," _an irritated voice spoke from the floor. Celine jumped up to her sheets, acting as if she owned the place.

Emma laughed. "I know you would, Celine. THAT'S why I didn't ask."

"Sh-shut up…"

"Thanks, Celine," she said, petting the cat's ears.

A disgruntled feline huff was all she heard before her exhaustion lulled her to dreamland.

* * *

_"...n't knock, dufus. You're going to wake her up."_

_"I— I suppose you have a point, Jusis."_

Too late. Her eyelids slowly fluttered apart as she strained her ears to listen. The rain was drumming on the windows now, but she could still hear the pair of fiery, argumentative voices she'd recognize anywhere.

_"Leave it with Sharon. Homework is the LEAST likely thing she needs right now."_

_"I know that! I just figured I'd offer my help, in case she needs to catch up."_

_"Ask her tomorrow. When she's BETTER."_

_"Tch… you don't see ME shouting in front of a sick person's room."_

_"Trust me. If they hired you in a hospital, they wouldn't need an alarm. Ever."_

_"Grrrr…"_

"They're both idiots, seriously," Celine snarked, still sprawled across the bed. The voices through the door drifted away leaving her with only the pulsing headache and the anxiety of schoolwork.

Still, she smiled the tiniest bit. Maybe she'd take Machias on his offer. Was way easier than asking if she could copy it.

* * *

Lunchtime— she wasn't able to fall back asleep. The caress of her bed made her lazy, but the excessive water intake Emma prescribed to her necessitated the occasional trip to the toilet.

The dorm was quiet, as it should be. It was just second nature to her to mask her every movement in the silence. Most of the students should still be on the school premises; the weather making it unpleasant to eat outside.

Tiptoeing back to her room, she reached the stairs when a delectable aroma permeated the air. Following her nose led her to the lit kitchen, the sound of bustling chefs clanking inside. A fair maid danced gracefully through the wares while the blue-haired assistant tried her best to keep up.

Her stomach grumbled as the sumptuous fragrance of soup stock and pasta whetted her lips. Come to think of it, she hadn't had breakfast, huh?

She knocked once. Noticing her, the assistant smiled widely.

"Hungry?" Laura asked. She nodded in response. "Take a seat, Fie. We were just about to finish up."

She sat on the middle chair, her legs swinging in meager anticipation. A bowl of yellow soup was placed in front of her. Bits of poultry, vegetables, and thimble-sized macaroni swam in the golden broth and smelled of different herbs and spices along with chopped garlic and lemongrass. Her hand moved on its own, delivering a spoonful of steaming soup to her watering mouth.

Delicious— as good as it looked.

"Chicken and Ditalini soup," Sharon said. "Scientifically formulated to combat the common cold."

Laura wiped her cheek, though bits of flour had stuck to her chin. The various stains on her apron provided a clear contrast to Sharon's almost spotless one. "How is it?"

She beamed. His soups weren't as good as theirs… but it reminded her of her dad.

* * *

Afternoon now, she was getting bored. The rain continued to pour so that probably meant bum for the sports clubs. Particularly for a certain blonde geek.

Right on cue. A double-tap knocked on her door. "_Fie, I'm coming in."_

She hadn't even answered when Alisa barged inside, shaking her head. She was still wearing her lacrosse uniform. How bored was she?

"Hey, hey-ho!" the small girl exclaimed from behind Alisa. Millium bounced up next to her bed like a hyperactive puppy. "Whatcha doin', Fie?"

Nothing of import. For once, she actually got through a couple of pages of homework on her own… with some big thanks to the math formulas Machias had scribbled to the side. Emma stickered in page numbers for books that could help answer the essay questions, and Jusis had kindly made a bulleted list for her of all the topics they discussed in history class.

Nothing of import at all.

"Elliot couldn't make it because of practice, but we wanted to give you this," Alisa said. In her hand was a quartz the size of her thumb, and a small rectangular device.

Alisa grinned proudly, "That's a memory quartz of all the recorded performances from the Wind Orchestra. Elliot said the music might help you rest better. Just plug it into this device and you're good to go."

"And don't worry about the flowers!" Millium chimed up. On the second inspection, her cyan hair seemed to be damp— barely towel-dried. "Gaius and I took care of them. They're safe and dry from the rain! Edel also said you should get well soon or the flowers will miss you— whatever THAT means."

Doubt a day away would warrant the flowers to miss her. The gifts were nice, but embarrassingly so. She'd never admit that they made her feel giddy.

* * *

Evening— she was finally able to get some shut-eye. The ringing of her ARCUS woke her up, however. She wanted to ignore it, and given her condition, she had an excuse not to answer. That was until she remembered what time it is.

8:00. She grabbed it before he could hang up. "Rean?"

His voice was ragged, yet had a calm and gentle coolness to it. "_I heard you were sick— are you okay?" _he asked.

"I am now," she said with a lip.

"_...was that a pick-up line or what?" _

She giggled. "A bit of both…"

A bit of both was fine. Knowing that he was worried was all the medicine she needed. Her headache was nearly gone, and she felt she could take a jog. The beating storm outside and the thought of an angry Emma convinced her otherwise.

"_Well… that's good— I should let you sleep…"_

"How's Crossbell?" It's been a week now since Rean went there under government orders. She kinda missed her 'Ashen Chevalier'.

"_Same old, same old."_

"C' mon. Tell me _something…" _she said in a way that would make Rean know that she was pouting.

"_All I got are boring military stories. Stuff you'd find in a newspaper, probably."_

"It'll help me sleep~."

"..._Alright then."_

Laying her head back down, she purred. Her eyes closed on habit as she listened to Rean's soft voice through the thumping of rain.

* * *

"...Filia…"

A mutter caused her ear to flick. Opening her eyes greeted her with the near pitch-black of the ceiling. Midnight, if she would guess. She remembered falling asleep talking to Rean.

She did _not _remember there being a sloven instructor comatose by her bedside— though fortunately not because of alcohol.

_"_...get well soon, Filly…" Sara mumbled again.

She smiled. She hasn't heard that name in a while now. It was a charmingly insulting nickname Sara gave her back when they first met. It only took her give-or-take a few years before she found out 'Filly' was another term for 'baby horse'.

Neither of them has told the others how they really met, nor her real name — they were okay with that. A happy secret kept only between the closest of jaeger friends.

It didn't really matter much. They were together now. Always, and for the foreseeable future. As a family, as sisters, as Instructor and student.

And as soon-to-be fellow Bracers.

…

"Stop snoring, Sara."

She _may _need to get used to that, though.

* * *

**Been raining non-stop for days here so yeah.**

**See ya.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Date - Part 1**

* * *

Vivi was in a bind.

Her plan sounded foolproof at first, but Linde always said that she was a special class of stupid on her own. She flicked the hair from her face anxiously. On the table was her deluxe cookies-and-cream glace. The snowy top was blessed with tasty caramel, and it exuded a vivid frost of silvery white.

As silvery-white as the silver-haired girl staring at her. Fie swallowed the last bits of her chocolate banana sundae.

_'Say something!'_ Vivi screamed in her mind, more to the other girl than to herself. She had run dry on conversation topics two scoops ago.

Yup. Invite the robotic Fie out on a date and come home as the bestest of friends. Perfect plan, Vivi thought. The in-between could wait.

It was absolutely _flawless._

"So… um…" she said, clawing at whatever awkward dating experiences she's had in the past. That is to say, none at all. She sympathized with the boys she used to make fun of for being nervous in front of girls. "Do you… like ice cream?"

"Not really," was the curt reply.

She winced. Instant rejection. "Wh-what about pizza? Kirsche's crispy cheese pizza is _super _good!"

"No thanks. I'm sick of pizza."

"Soda?"

"Juice."

"Popcorn?!"

"Meh."

_Throw me a bone here! _

"What sort of food do you usually eat?"

"Field rations."

"...Like in the military?"

"Yup."

"Oh."

End conversation.

Sighing, Vivi swirled the dessert with her spoon before transporting the sweetness to her mouth. Maybe a bit of sugar could help her think of ways to make Fie open up.

Why was she doing it? No particular reason. Fie was the newest member of the Gardening club, so she obviously wanted to get to know the girl. Not only that, but she was also two years younger; Vivi wanted to play the older sister role every once in a while.

At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

Truth is, she was interested in the little ex-jaeger. Curious even. Fie was a curiosity. Barring the fact that she had _that_ kind of upbringing, she was also talented in a multitude of things outside of combat. Military tactics, athletics, and, of course, napping in seemingly un-nappable places. Stuff Vivi could only dream of to be competent in.

"Eh?" The sudden clanking of her spoon reminded her where she was. That was weird. Where did her ice cream go?

Nope. Nuh-uh. There was no way Erebonia's hottest lady would let herself get fat. Vivi grimaced. She hoped that if she believed hard enough, the ice cream— and calories— in her stomach would magically reappear in the empty cup.

Tragically, it didn't.

There was one last spoonful though. Might as well; she paid good mira for it. She and Linde weren't exactly noble-class rich. Before she could, however, Vivi noticed a subtle change in the way Fie was staring at her. "Hmm?"

She wasn't staring _at _her— more like staring at the spoon in her hand. Vivi waved it from side to side just to make sure.

"You want it?" she asked.

A nod. It wasn't a big nod— you could mistake it for a natural tilt of her head. But a nod, nonetheless.

"Say 'ahh.'"

Ridiculously enough, Fie complied. Even more ridiculous, she looked like a hungry cat doing so. Vivi kept that image to herself just in case this kitten had claws as sharp as her tongue.

Lime-green eyes widened. Grabbing the spoon, Fie directed it into Vivi's mouth and waited for her to swallow it.

"What's the matter?" Vivi asked, wiping the ice cream that was clumsily splattered on her lips. "I thought you wanted it?"

"...I'm allergic to cookies."

She was? Vivi hadn't heard of anyone being allergic to cookies before. She gawked at the strange girl, dumbfounded.

Fie, on the other hand, glared towards the exit. There was a commotion going on outside. Vivi couldn't tell what it was exactly, but it seemed like a patron had been causing a ruckus. It was still midday. Was someone drunk?

They probably needed to leave then. Two high school girls shouldn't really get involved in that situation. "...Let's go, Fie."

"Mh."

* * *

It was ingenious! No girl could resist the temptation of buying cute clothes. Clothes made the woman, and you learn a lot about a person just from how they dress.

Vivi smoothed out the collar of her shirt. Being required to wear their school uniform at all times made everyone stuffy, so shopping for clothes was doubly effective for the students at Thors. Quadruply so since the summer just started and nobody wanted to get stuck wearing a crummy uniform.

Which made it octuply effective for young girls like Fie, right? Right?!

Her plan was an ongoing success— she should write a book about it. Fie Claussell, the ever-bored girl, was diligently browsing the various wears and outfits on display inside Boutique - Le Sage. From what Vivi could see, she was trying out the different types of hats available.

Practical. She could've guessed Fie would go for a hat. Not only could a hat block the heat from the sun, but get the right one and you can wear it during the winter to keep your head warm.

Vivi wasn't the type for headwear though; she liked having her hair loose. But...

"Maybe I should buy one too…" she said idly. If it didn't fit her, she could always just give it to her sister. Linde looked way better in a beret than she would have, anyway.

"Buy what?"

"...Blergh?!" Vivi flitted around to see Fie behind her, holding a dark-brown beret. "Don't just sneak up on people like that! You almost gave me a heart attack…"

Fie hastily put the cap on, caring little for the price tag that was hanging off to the side. "I want this," she said with a rare, determined expression.

It. Was. Adorable.

"Oh ho ho. Not a bad choice, young one," Vivi said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Who you gonna wear it for, huh? A _boy, _perhaps? Your next date, hm~?"

"Date?" Fie tilted her head. The price tag swayed with the gesture. "Date, as in the stuff we're doing now?"

Vivi tried not to squeal from the cuteness. "No, no. D-A-T-E. As in, you and a boy, spending time together. That date."

"Does it have to be a boy?"

She wasn't really sure. "Well… you CAN go on a date with a girl, like what we're doing now. But a date with a boy is a different thing!"

Not like she knew how, though.

"What makes it different?"

"All sorts of stuff! Like going out to dinner, watching stage plays, hanging out in the park, holding hands— romantic stuff like that," Vivi said, trying to sound as authentic as possible. Her entire resume on dating only included stuff she's learned from magazines and romance novels.

"Have you gone on a date before?" Fie asked innocently.

She froze. "O-o-of course, I have! Boys line up to go on dates with me all the time! Pretty much every day! Ha ha ha…"

"Is that why you want to buy that? For your date?"

It was Vivi's turn to tilt her head. "Buy what?"

Fie pointed at the article of clothing clutched in her hand. "That."

A black lingerie.

…

"YUP," Vivi yelled. "How silly of me to forget!"

Like a stringed marionette, her limbs gracelessly flailed her towards the changing room. "Stay right there, Fie. Imma go try this on. Tell me how it looks, m'kay?"

"Okay."

The curtains closed with a frantic whoosh. Vivi curled down to her knees and struggled to contain the growing blush on her face. She hoped Fie didn't notice.

Yes, she WAS checking out the lingerie; they were sexy as hell, but that was it. It wasn't like she was going to buy one. Why would she, anyway? She didn't have a boyfriend. Her first dates were with girls even.

She'd strangle anyone who knew, but it was the truth.

Vivi was a virgin.

She hadn't even had her first kiss yet, let alone held hands with a boy. Sex was definitely out of the picture.

Aidios, if Linde found out she bought lingerie, she'd freak.

While her sister knew she liked to tease boys, she also knew better than anyone that Vivi hadn't actually scored a boyfriend yet. And it wasn't something she wanted to hide from her either. It was just awkward talking about it.

It wasn't _her _fault that guys were too scared to flirt with her. She was friendly enough, sometimes maybe a bit too much to arouse suspicion among her friends. But she acted like that all the time! That was normal for her.

It was Linde's fault for being her twin. What few guys that DID have the courage to confess, had inadvertently confessed to her sister instead.

Granted, watching her get flustered was hilarious, but she always felt that small twinge of envy. Seeing Linde all cute and embarrassed like that sent the boy's hearts aflutter… then they will soon forget about their crush on the pitiful younger twin.

The ones that did confess to her… wanted to confess to her sister.

That was the point when guys confessing to either of them pissed her off. Couldn't they _at least_ tell them apart? They were twins, she knew, but how hard was it to pay some freakin' attention to the person you were 'in love' with?

So she pushed them away— shrouded her feelings under a guise of mischief, secretly waiting for that one guy to finally get it right.

One day.

"_Vivi?"_

"Just a minute!" she called out. She didn't need a minute to get dressed; she had already finished putting it on. An admittedly fit figure stared back from the mirror. The lingerie was as sexy as she thought. Her fashion sense hasn't waned apparently.

Vivi sighed. It's immature, but she wasn't satisfied with what she saw. Unflattering, compared to Linde's. How come she always got the lower end spectrum of their genes? Her arms and legs were leaner than average, and her neck area was thin, skeletal and uninviting. She poked her collarbone with disinterest. No guy would ever want to see that on their bed.

Her lips were a pale pink and her cheeks weren't as vibrant as they normally were. Believe it or not, Vivi had almost zero talent with makeup. Her ditziness wasn't just for show. If she tried, she would end up with an overly saturated mess, hence why she asks her sister to do it for her.

She definitely lacked in both upper and lower departments too. Guys loved it big, round, and curvy. It was just natural for them to prefer the more voluptuous Linde.

"...Ouch."

Thankfully, the ice cream hadn't affected her yet, as she found out by pinching her stomach. Only time will tell, though— along with the girl she asked to wait.

Slapping both cheeks to psyche herself up, she swung the curtains open in one dramatic floosh. Hand on hip, she stuck her tongue out and donned her sexiest pose. "Sorry for the wait! How do I look~ ?"

A massive landslide of clothes.

She yelped as their combined weight crushed her to next season.

The person that dumped them on her looked bored as if almost killing her was as normal as a Tuesday. Closing the curtains again, Fie spoke in a neutral voice. "I want to try these on."

"ALL of these?" an exasperated Vivi yelled. She squirmed her way out of the twisted sea of raiments that Fie had randomly picked out. Most were a tad too big for her, and some were even made for males. It wasn't that she wouldn't help her out, she just wanted to make sure. She promised she'd show her a good time, after all.

Fie nodded.

Vivi groaned. For once in her life, she regretted ever shopping for clothes.


	15. Chapter 15

**Date - Part 2**

* * *

"That's a Grand Rose. It means 'promiscuous love.'"

Wrong. It's p for passionate. Vivi wondered how long it will take before Fie realizes.

Grand Roses were still hot on the market, probably because it was early-July. The end of classes lurked just around the corner, meaning loads of free time to spend for young and aspiring couples. To say nothing of the summer festival in Heimdallr. Love confessions were at an all-time high. Sparkly-eyed lads and ladettes hoping for that _fervent_ and _fulfilling _summer vacation bought roses by the truckloads before they would officially be out of season.

It was also the flower she tricked Rean into buying once. How can she forget? The look on his face was one-in-a-million.

Fie pointed to another flower. Also a Grand Rose, in a different hue. Roses came in many colors other than red, after all. Her favorite was blue edging into sapphire; it went well with her rosy hair.

Now back in their uniforms— plus one clothes bag each — the two of them stopped by the flower shop to buy some new seeds. Edel wanted to grow violas for the academy festival, and it so happens that Jane's had a sale today.

"What about this one?" Fie asked as she poked the curious plant. The round flower heads were attached to a tall, thin stalk, and alternated between yellow, red, and pink colors.

Hollyhocks. They were like string confetti except upside down. Having them around made your garden look like it was throwing a mini-party.

...Come to think of it, pink hollyhocks stood for beauty and appreciation. More profound colors implied a deeper love. "Want one, Fie?" she asked. A purple hollyhock would suit the mysterious girl quite nicely.

"...No. I don't think I have the space for it."

A lie.

Vivi knew it was a lie. She smiled anyway. If Fie didn't want to, she couldn't force her. Although, it did spark an idea to help the quiet girl open up. Eyes scanning around, she hoped that Jane's would have just the flower she needed.

"Yes!" They did, almost hidden in one corner of the shop. Pulling Fie by the arm, she crouched in front of a potted shrub. "Here, take a look at this one."

The plant was less of a bouquet and more of a fountain of jagged leaves. Lobed, like a maple's, with milky pink flowers dotting all around it. Though they appear spherical, the flower heads were actually made out of tinier florets clustered together.

What made it special though was it's dark ebony gloom.

"Pretty, right?" Vivi asked. "They're called ninebark. I can't believe Jane managed to get one. They're rare in Erebonia."

Their foliage tends to fade to green depending on the climate. This cultivar, called Monlo or Diabolo, were more common in the Far East and grew rich burgundy leaves. Vividly dark ninebark like this one though was special even there.

Suffice to say, it's quite expensive. Vivi shrugged when she saw the price. "Maybe someday…"

"...I know these flowers," Fie said. Her eyes were lost in thought as if she was remembering something. "They're more common in Calvard, right?"

"Out further east, near the border," Vivi answered to the best of her knowledge.

A metaphorical light-bulb lit up on Fie's face. "Oh, so that's why. We infiltrated a mansion once. It had a garden filled with these."

'Infiltrated'. "You mean… jaeger business?"

"Yeah. Didn't know what they were called though."

Vivi sweatdropped. Typical; she should've expected that. "Still… a whole garden full of ninebark…"

It would have been a dream come true.

"Do you like them, Vivi?"

There wasn't an easier way to explain, so she nodded in response. 'Like' might not be accurate. She admired them, that's all. Though, if she were asked, her favorite flower would indeed be it.

Why?

That was a difficult question. It's sometimes hard to tell why a person was strangely attracted to something. Maybe it was the color? She liked black.

"I think it's because it reminds me of me."

"Hm?"

Did she say that out loud?

"Look. The leaves are black, right?" she said as Fie gently brushed her hands against the stems. "And the flowers are bright pink."

"I don't get it."

"Two wildly different colors. Two wholly different identities. All part of the same shrub."

Vivi leaned down and smelled the aroma. It was an unpleasant stench. A mix of citrus and mild acid. Ninebarks were used more for ornamental decorations and hedges rather than for their allure.

She didn't mind. "Do you know what they symbolize, Fie?"

Fie shook her head.

"Nothing," Vivi answered. "They don't mean anything on their own, but…"

"But?"

"Ninebarks are related to both hawthorns and roses. Do you remember what those symbolize?"

Hawthorns symbolize hope. Roses symbolize love. Two meanings, both parts of the same whole. A stark juxtaposition, yet complementing each other while joined at the hip.

Hawthorns and roses. Hope and love. Milky pink and black burgundy.

Linde and Vivi.

"...Vivi, why did you join the Gardening Club?"

Well, she's been growing flowers ever since their mom first bought them a miniature garden. Simple as that.

They weren't exactly the richest of families. When their dad died in a construction accident, their mom busied herself with work trying to make ends meet. To accommodate that, their family moved from their old house in Jurai to a small apartment in Saint-Arkh. Linde handled all the housework by herself while Vivi focused on studying.

A wasted effort, though. Her brain was just too dumb. It's a miracle she managed to pass the entrance exam. It wasn't like she could help with the housework either; she wasn't coordinated enough to do it properly.

That little garden of theirs was like a sanctuary— a place where they could all get together and relax while talking about the silliest of things. She would water the flowers every day and then Linde would paint whatever she cultivated on a sheet of paper.

You see, the two of them had always been good at reading a person's feelings. They can't really explain how they can, they just know when someone wasn't acting like they normally would. Stuff like that. It's why Vivi loved to tease people so much, whereas Linde preferred to paint those feelings on a canvas.

When people lie, they were usually lying to themselves. Pranking was Vivi's way of making them admit to their honest thoughts and emotions. She'd goad Rean into flirting with her, for example, because he was checking her out, plain as day. He'd get flustered and wondered why she would, but by then, the gap between them became smaller ever so slightly.

If she hadn't broken the ice first, Rean would have kept his distance from her. Now, they were bosom friends. She'd keep teasing him, and the goody-two-shoes Rean would fall for it every time because it was fun. He never once got angry over it.

It was the same with her sister.

Linde was the shyest person she knew, but Vivi knew she wanted to make lots of friends. If she caused trouble for someone, Linde was forced to apologize on their behalf. Then that would lead her into talking more with this person— if only to ask about what sort of prank her troublesome little sister had done to them.

Vivi pointed to another flower. It was yellow, pink, red and tubular in shape. "That's honeysuckle. It means happiness or devoted affection based on how tight the petals are formed."

Then another. "Lilies. They also mean devotion, but we usually consider them as symbols for purity and innocence."

A blue lacy, star-shaped one and a blossom that looked like a yellow pom-pom. "Hydrangea, sincerity. Below it is yellow carnation which means rejection or disappointment."

And last, a small leafy branch with blackberry-like fruits. "Wineberry. They're tasty like tarts and are closely related to roses. Put them together and they mean 'a sweet romance.'"

"Huh…" Fie said mutely.

Flowers were like people. Just as humans come in all shapes and sizes, flowers come in different colors, petals, stems, and smell, each one with a meaning unique to them. Every bouquet held a wondrous mix of emotions and sentiments, depending on what kinds the florist used.

Vivi was a curious individual. She also loved snooping around for rumors and judging them if it were true or false. Whenever she felt like someone was hiding their emotions, she'd fuss over why they would choose to do so. And like how she would stop at nothing to get an honest reaction out of a person, she would search and study the meaning behind a flower she hasn't heard of before. That tenacity was one of her proud talents.

"Pretty weird reason to join the Gardening Club, huh?"

Fie shook her head again. Her lips stayed the same but her eyes were sparkling. "Not really."

Did Fie… smile?

"Anyway— " Vivi said. She made to stand up but flinched when the blood rushed back to her legs. They _had _been crouching for a long time. "A-anyway… as your technical senior of one month, I think, feel free to ask me anything about flowers."

Her database may not be as comprehensive compared to a nut like Edel, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Fie gazed at her with a serious expression. "Vivi…"

"Yes? What is it?" she beamed, eager to impress her cute junior.

There was a seconds-long silence before Fie asked her question. "...bug."

Bug? What flower was that, again? Weird name. It almost sounded like—

"There's a bug on your shoulder, Vivi."

Bug. Shoulder.

_Her _shoulder.

Vivi shrieked.

* * *

Kinda loved gardening, but also kinda hated bugs. Vivi sighed Zemuria's heaviest sigh. "I hate this."

Even the great sunset view of the school rooftop did little for her mood. At least the summer afternoons were still cool. She leaned on the railings, letting the wind blow on her messy tresses.

The bug jumped from her shoulder and hid inside her hair, or so Fie said. Cue _massive _panic attack. Her clumsiness had struck again when she broke a pot or two while flailing around.

Vivi felt as empty as her wallet, even though it was only a thousand mira lighter. "I'm sorry, Fie."

"..."

"Sorry you had to see that. I'm not usually that dumb." She was. "Sorry I ruined our date even though I said I'll show you a good time. It was such a mess, huh?"

"..."

"...It's fine if you never want to talk to me again." It'll hurt and it'll make club meetings awkward, but she couldn't even look at Fie without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

Why did she have to be so stupid? She could've planned ahead more. Conversation topics, places to go, shops to visit— everything. What the heck was with that bug reaction, too? She was the cool senior member of the Gardening Club. A bug like that was nothing. Edel grappled with insects and pests every day. She should be able to handle one or two, not freak out like a drama queen.

Too late now. The tears beaded in her eyes. It stung with painful regret. She prayed for the Goddess' mercy that Fie would leave so that she wouldn't see her cry.

Absolutely pathetic.

"You can go on ahead, Fie," she said, forcing her voice to not appear strained. "I'll see you tomorrow." Probably. Most likely not.

She didn't hear footsteps, but Fie had cat-like tread. She could've walked away long ago without ever making a sound. Guess she should wait until dark. She didn't even have the energy to turn around.

...

"I'm sorry— "

...Huh? Sorry for what?

" — for ruining our date," Fie said. The words came out strained. It wasn't emotionless like it usually was, nor was it sharp. They sounded remorseful.

What?

"No!" Vivi shouted. Maybe it's the time they spent together, but she noticed a droop in Fie's eyes. Like a dulled blade to a knife. She was honestly thinking that it was her fault. "I-I mean, no. It's not your fault. It's mine…"

Was Fie really that timid? She didn't know.

Fie shook her head. "I should've told you from the start. I kept it to myself again. I didn't mean to ruin your plans. I'm sorry," she muttered in a rush.

"Stop— stop— stop!" This was getting awkward. "Don't apologize, geez…"

Seriously, what's she going on about? Botching a date wasn't that big of a deal. It happens, more so when it's the first date.

And it wasn't like it was all bad. Their ice cream lunch was delicious. Their shopping spree had been an incredible joy because they got to try on so many outfits together. And of course, the giggle they shared among the flowers was something she'd remember forever.

Throughout the day she learned small tidbits about Fie too. The clothes she fancied, what she usually talked about with friends, her preferences for flowers— cute stuff. Fie was cool. Learning about her cute side was a new experience.

It was a tough day to be sure, but if anything, Vivi really did enjoy their date.

"I had fun today," she said, grinning as wide as her cheeks allowed. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure— "

"I had fun too."

"Wha?"

Like flipping a switch, Fie's troubled expression vanished. She smiled impassively.

...Oh.

Vivi chuckled. "You got me…"

Yeah, that's right. They DID have fun. They DID enjoy their date. So what if it didn't go as planned? Plans were boring. Botching a date wasn't that big of a deal; they'll just go an even better one next time. Why should she get depressed over that?

"Thanks, Fie."

"You're welcome."

Speaking of their next date, they should invite Edel. It'll be the three of them— kinda like a club field trip. Oh, and they should definitely get together for the summer festival in Heimdallr. Maybe they'll ask Instructor Sara.

"Sounds fun," Fie said with an unironically bored voice. "I'll tell Mr. Stalker that he can't come, too."

"...Huh?"

Stalker?


	16. Chapter 16

**Date - Part 3**

* * *

Vivi was no stranger to stalkers. It's one of the many woes of being beautiful. She also maybe, possibly threatened a couple or so when they started stalking her sister instead.

Even so, she felt a _huge _icy chill up her spine. "Gross…"

"Yeah. Been following us around since lunch. Don't know who it is, just that he's got a camera."

That was probably Rex.

"You know him?" Fie asked, relaxing on the bench. The sun had already set, meaning the school would be closed soon. It was just their luck when Vice-Principal Stick-up-his-butt came and shooed them from the rooftop. Neither in the mood to go home, they decided to take a break by the gardens.

"Ugh… unfortunately so. That creep."

She'd known Rex since they were in Sunday School. He's always been obsessed with pictures, so it came as no surprise that he joined the Photography Club when he -somehow- got into Thors.

His habit of taking pictures of girls without permission hadn't changed though. Vivi cringed. "Pervert. Disgusting. I'll make sure he gets a piece of my mind later."

Tilting her head, Fie cooed. Why, _of course_ she can come too.

"Wait. Is that what you wanted to tell me earlier?" Vivi asked. "And why you did all those stuff before?"

A nod.

Fie first noticed him while they were eating their ice cream. Being spoon-fed seemed like a compromising position, so she diverted it at the last minute, to save themselves some embarrassment. The commotion at the diner might have been him, too.

The stalker also had a camera, so when Vivi went into the changing rooms with lingerie, it was the perfect opportunity for him to snapshot a lewd photo. Fie grabbed whatever clothes were nearby and used them as a cover.

"And the bug?" Vivi asked, cautious. Was the bug on her shoulder also a ruse?

Fie shook her head. "...No. There really was a bug on your shoulder."

…

Migraine. Vivi felt her face pale. "Th-thanks for telling me…"

"You're not mad?"

Mad? She was— at Rex. Not fuming, though; no reason to be. While kids might joke about her 'telling on the authorities,' stalking and taking photos without consent is a criminal offense. She'll ask the student council to look into it, have them suspend him, confiscate the photos or whatever, and then that was it— no fuss involved.

Heartless, yes, but he got what was coming to him. Wouldn't surprise her if he had an entire magazine full of girl's photos too.

Was that why Fie couldn't tell her about the stalker? She was afraid that it'll completely ruin their date?

She didn't respond.

"I'm not mad, Fie. Really. Don't worry about it."

She'd offer a hug, but she's a couple of friendship coupons short. Vivi offered a calming smile instead.

It was met with a _Fie_-rce glare. "Why are you so nice?" Fie asked.

Despite the tone, Vivi swayed from side-to-side as she thought of how to answer. The day's events made her numb to the bite. "I'm nice to everybody," she said in all honesty.

"Even to a bloodthirsty _jaeger-tot?"_

"Jaeger-tot? Who called you that?"

"Some high-and-mighty idiot in Class I. Patrick, or something"

Oh, that Hyarms kid. No wonder it was lame. Patrick had been lame ever since Sunday school. Some things never change. "I hoped you punched him in the face for that," Vivi said with a laugh.

"Almost did," Fie said, tittering as well. The glare on her face was gone. "Gaius beat me to it."

"He's the one in the art club, right?" That manly-man, crazy hot foreign student with the physique of a bronzed god? Yeah, Vivi remembered. He's one of the few males her baby Linde had taken an instant liking to— _without_ her intervention. "Did you thank him for it?"

"No… Should I?"

"He stood up for you, to a NOBLE no less." That took massive guts, let alone from someone outside of Erebonia.

"...It doesn't bother you? That I'm a jaeger?"

"Not really," was her curt reply. Talk about switching roles.

"I was born and raised on a battlefield. I kill for a living. Even now, I might be getting close to you so that I can threaten you down the line. You're fine with that?" Fie asked in what was possibly the longest sentence Vivi heard her say.

"Well… Are you?"

"No."

This cute, meek girl threatening her? Vivi wanted to see that. It was prime teasing material. "You're a lot nicer than you think, Fie." Nice enough to worry about her and her stalker, for example.

"To be fair," she continued, "your jaeger parents did an _excellent _job at raising you."

"Dad did?"

"Definitely," Vivi said. "Makes me want to go and meet him."

"Oh…" Fie said, trailing off.

"But I can't, can I?"

A quiet nod. That was a given, Vivi guessed. He was probably out there somewhere, shooting stuff or murdering people for the highest bidder. Didn't change how she felt, though.

"You can't _choose_ your family," she said loud enough to echo in the empty courtyard. "Why would I discriminate against you because of THAT?"

That was because Vivi knew it more than anyone. "Family is family. You learn to live with them, and you grow to love them. Even if they get on your nerves or they end up nagging at you… at the end of the day, your family will always be a part of who you are."

She smirked with a wink. "I kinda like jaegers. They're _so_ badass~."

So long as they didn't kill her, she supposed. Jaegers were scary. Fie more so when she went silent.

The pitching of cicadas undoubtedly heralded the start of summer. That meant pools and festivals, but also sweltering heat. Just for today, however, that heat was gone thanks to overcast skies and monsoon winds. Using basic forecasting techniques Edel had drilled into them, Vivi determined that the day was a cool one all throughout. It was why she had been so eager to invite Fie on a date.

She considered it a success when the devil-may-care girl accepted the invitation. Her poor, young, naive self. What followed was one of the wackiest times in her life yet.

From awkward ice cream spoon-feeding to almost getting crushed by a mountain of clothes— to dying a little inside when a bug crawled up her skin, it's been one blundering failure after the other.

But, here they were, talking and talking, and then not talking while enjoying each other's company, as if the bestest of friends. She could get used to that.

"There's this girl in my class…" Fie said, hesitating the tiniest bit.

"Oh? A friend?"

"The opposite. She hates my guts."

"Is it because you're a jaeger?"

"I guess." Cradling her knees, Fie buried her face into it, muffling her soft voice. "I keep telling her that I'm just as normal as the others, but she won't ever listen."

"Do you hate her?" Vivi asked. She brushed away a stray leaf that fell on top of Fie's hair. If she hadn't, Fie might've ignored it completely.

She saw her eyes— lime green. Fie was an inexpressive person. What little she wanted to communicate, she did so with short and blunt statements… but her eyes were always sincere. Whether it be a bored stare or a piercing glare, they had always been that window to her honest thoughts and feelings.

It's why Vivi loved them so much. Right now, those eyes said more than Fie would have ever thought:

She didn't hate anyone. Not her classmates, not those bullies. No one—

— apart from herself. Then Vivi realized.

Why was she a jaeger? Why did the people she grew up with dump her here and leave her behind? Was it because she was a burden? Did they hate her? Had she been too much to handle? Did they think that she was too weak to be one of them?

Too weak to be a savage, merciless killer that is a 'jaeger'?

And even if she wasn't, why did people assume that she was? Why did they look at her like she was a monster deserving of their scorn?

Was she _really_ a monster?

If she accepted that as true, wouldn't that mean she was doing them a service? If she was a monster, she could take their insults in stride— maybe even be proud of them. Then they can go on with their lives, knowing that they were right all along. Wouldn't that make life much simpler? Much easier?

So... how come? Why was she still here, blissfully living out a school life she never deserved, not as a 'jaeger', but as a 'girl'?

How come she enjoyed that life, and wanted more?

...

Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Vivi stood up and kneeled in front of this sulking 'girl.'

Girl or jaeger— it didn't matter. What mattered was that she was _here,_ at this very moment, one horrible insult away from breaking down.

She gave Fie the biggest hug in the history of girl hugs, friendship coupons be damned.

"We're not in the same class, but we ARE in the same club." And she was the senior member, no less. If the cute junior-slash-younger sister couldn't say it, it was up to the older, more mature one to say it for them.

"I like you, Fie."

She liked their conversations, as terse as they were. Fie never used many words, but not _once_ did she tell her to shut up or leave her alone. She kept talking in the best way she knew how. Their topics had been weird, but she liked how goofy and militaristic Fie's thought processes were.

She liked how curious she was. Fie was usually so bored that when she started asking questions non-stop about flowers, it was captivating. She'd asked so many that Vivi wanted to read up more just so that she could keep answering them.

She liked the way Fie didn't give a damn about things that bother her. She liked how she would pretend to not care about someone, but deep down, she worried about them more than she would worry about herself. She liked how protective she was, and how Fie wanted to make her feel safe.

She liked her. A lot.

"What are you— " Fie didn't return the hug. That was fine. Their soft, rhythmic breathing harmonizing with each other was enough.

"I like you, Fie. And... I want to be your friend. From what I can tell, you want to be liked by that girl, too."

"...I-I don't know..."

Her arms wrapped around her back tighter. It was small, like a little girl's. Silver hair smelled of flowers and shampoo as she stroked it gently.

"Tell her," Vivi said. "How you feel, what you think. Everything. And when she asks, answer her honestly."

Idly, she patted Fie on the head. "You're a good girl, Fie. I'm sure she'll come to like you too, soon enough."

"..."

She lost track of how long she held her in her arms. A minute or so, give or take.

"I… like you too, Vivi."

That was good to hear.

"I should say it like that?" Fie asked.

Life worked in strange ways. This was Fie's first date, yet here she was being tutored on how to confess. Vivi laughed. Hopefully, that was the least weird thing that'll happen to her for a while.

Still, it was…

"Perfect~."

* * *

Vivi felt like wearing pigtails today, that's all. It's complete coincidence she looked a lot like Linde. She wasn't planning on skipping the club meeting, no-no.

It just so happens Crow would be hosting a racket later and she needed to make a quick mira thanks to her little 'accident' yesterday.

"Oh my. You're here early, Vivi," Edel said, both hands watering the flowers like a gardening machine.

Bowing, 'Linde' greeted the club president with a polite smile. "Good afternoon, Edel. Vivi isn't feeling well today, may I ask if she may be excused from her club activities?"

"There are some trowels in the storage shed. Can you please get them for me, Vivi? Unpleasant weeds are feeding off of our dear plants and they deserve to be punished~."

"N-no, I'm Linde, Vivi's sister. I'm telling you that— "

Edel gasped "Oh, we may need to ask the student council for more rain covers too! I'll write a letter, can you deliver it to them, Vivi?"

Vivi clicked her tongue. "Fine."

How was Edel so perceptive at times? She always thought that the woman had her head in the flowers 24/7, but ten tries out of ten, Edel would foil her pranks before they could even happen.

Oh well. She'll just badger Rean into treating her to dinner. The guy was loaded.

Right, trowels. Then weeds.

Shoveling out the offending parasites by the roots, Vivi's eyes drifted to a far corner of their garden. She should weed out Fie's portion too— it didn't seem like she'll be visiting them today.

"How was your date?" Edel asked cheerfully.

"Meh. Screwed it up. Things didn't go the way I wanted. But overall…" She huffed as she pulled out a particularly troublesome weed. "It was fun."

Awkward conversations, being mistaken of buying sexy underwear, getting insect germs in her hair, and finding out she had a stalker. If new Vivi told that story to old Vivi, she would have never believed it.

"My, insects are becoming a problem lately," Edel remarked. Of course she would latch on to the least pleasant subject matter so long as it involved gardening.

Vivi heard an oozy squish, like a grape being popped. Then another, but with an incredibly succinct _crunch._

Edel crushed a fist-sized beetle in her hand— her _bare_ hand. She then lay its corpse to rest beneath the very flower it was munching on so that it may feed on the dead nutrients as an act of ironic cruelty.

…

"Hm?" Edel blinked when she was held by the shoulders. "What's the matter, Vivi?"

"Teach me, Master."

Edel was hot. Ranked high in the second year's list of hottest girls with an amazing bod. She should have plenty of date experiences, right? Also, please stop squishing bugs that's so gross and disgusting, she can't even—

"Hey," a voice greeted them. It was Fie's.

"Good afternoon, Fie," Edel greeted back with a bow. "Care to join us?"

"Not today," Fie said, surveying the garden. She sighed in visible relief when she saw her flowers still hale and healthy. "There's just something I wanted to give to you, Vivi."

Vivi?

"Oh, sure Fie. I'll go tell my sister you were looking for her," 'Linde' said.

Fie tilted her head with a half-lid eye. "What are you talking about?"

The disguise didn't work.

"Anyway… here." Pulling something out of her pocket, Fie handed her a small photograph. "Sara gave this to me. There's only one, so I want you to have it."

She hadn't even seen its contents before Fie dashed away. "I got stuff to do. See ya." Vaulting over the fence of their garden, the nimble jaeger quickly disappeared from view.

Vivi could only gawk.

Leaning over her shoulder, Edel giggled in delight. "Are you _sure_ things didn't go the way you wanted?"

Not so sure anymore. After all, everything she had ever wanted was right there, etched in that small photograph.

The image was off and overly zoomed in; it had obviously been taken a floor below them while they were on the roof. Pretty low quality too— the orange sunset made everything a bit blurry.

But they could still see it there, as bright as day.

Fie's smiling face.

* * *

_Earlier…_

"...Here's everything I have, Instructor," Rex said, dejection clear in his tone. He messed up.

"Good boy." Sara patted him on the head and grinned. She accepted— or rather— 'confiscated' the envelope Rex had begrudgingly given. Along with it was a small photo quartz, no doubt filled with the fruits of labor from the young boy.

Putting on her best instructor face, she addressed the wayward child with a stern scolding. "I'll look away this time as payment. Just don't let me catch you taking photos of girls again without their permission, got it?"

"Yes, Instructor."

"Good. Now scram."

She could have confiscated his camera as well, but she felt that a bit heartless. Who was she to snuff out the loving passion of his youth?

The shutting of old wooden doors echoed in the empty schoolhouse. Alone now, Sara opened the envelope. As expected, they were filled with photos of one particular silver-haired ex-jaeger out on her very first date.

To say that these were priceless gems was an understatement. They were quite good too, and also quite varied. Rex did have the talent. The way he captured the fleeting moments when Fie smiled definitely earned him some kudos.

She smiled too. Her little baby was growing up alright after all. Sara was getting worried, what with all that tension Laura and Fie had going on. She should do something about that. Maybe some swimming could cool off their heads?

While she was lost in thought, a pair of light sneakers plopped on the ground behind her. They sounded familiar.

If it wasn't for her bracer instincts kicking in, Sara would have cursed out loud.

Cuz _shit._

"H-Hey there, Fie…" she said. Sara wasn't religious, but she prayed that the heavens would have mercy on her poor soul. "Did you see all that?"

Fie glared. Intensely. "I did."

"Look… I can explain."

"You'd better."

"Let's not be rash now~." Sara reasoned, cold sweat beading down _everywhere. _"I'm technically your Instructor and you legally can't kill me~."

Her argument was retorted with a deathly silence.

She gulped. When had laws ever mattered to a jaeger? It was almost perfect. They were alone in a secluded location where nobody would hear the screaming. The lower floors of the Old Schoolhouse also made it a great place to dump bodies.

Yep. She was dead. All she had left was one last gambit to appeal to Fie's humanity.

"...Filly?" Sara squeaked out.

Fie growled.

* * *

**Tagged as both an End-of-Summer Special and also to mini-celebrate 100k words between all my fics. Hope you enjoyed the holidays!**

**Reviews, favs and follows are appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Brought into this world thanks to a discussion over at Discord. Blame them.**

**Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Fragment Chapter: Gingerman**

* * *

"Kevin…"

"Uhh…"

"Kevin…"

"What…?"

"Dinner time, Kevin…"

"M-mom…?"

Kevin awoke to the sound of the voice sniggering at him. Something pushed into his chest, and his eyelids fluttered open. He felt warm as if his skin was immersed in a hot spring. He also smelled milk. Creamy, delicious milk.

He saw a white pool, like in a bath. It slushed and rippled. He tried to raise his arms from it, but they refused to move. He looked down.

A button was on his chest. Big, round and sugary candy. His priest clothes were nowhere in sight. Instead, he was dressed in a brown suit with white highlights. The milk reached up to his waist.

"Where…?" he muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the rim of a cup. He leaned his head towards it, his neck creaking as if made from brittle dough. He saw the handle of a mug.

He was sitting in a mug of milk.

"The hell?" At least his mouth worked, as dirty as it was. Partly due to his job, he had knowledge about hypnotism and the state of the human mind. It was child's play for him to deduce that this was most likely a dream.

Or a nightmare. He gasped. A woman, dressed in her usual nun habit towered over him. Ries smiled.

"It's dinner time, Kevin."

Her voice sounded like her but pitches deeper. The sheer volume hurt his ears. He couldn't wince. That would mean taking his eyes off of Ries' hungry ones. It didn't take him long to dread what would come next.

A giant index finger wrapped around his back. A thumb pushed on his chest. Ries plucked him from the milk mug and lifted him high up.

He wouldn't scream. That would be uncool. Any moment now the nightmare would end. He waited, and waited— even as Ries' mouth cracked open like a monstrous titan. The tongue comically slid out of her lips, saliva drooling from it and the corners of her mouth. Feet first he descended into her gaping maw towards the abyss.

The dream didn't end.

It didn't end when blocks of enamel munched on him. Grinded on his skin. Crushed his bones, if he even had any. His bread limbs dissolved in the stinking saliva. Ries' tongue rolled all over him, sensually, pleasurably. It was frikkin' disgusting. He was being devoured alive.

It didn't end when what was left of him slithered down tissue. Ries' throat roasted him in searing hot body temperature. Kevin flailed and slipped and dived headfirst through the first tunnel of purgatory itself.

He splashed into acid. He had reached the stomach. Like crawling ants nibbling on him, he was slowly digested. Kevin looked on, horrified beyond belief. This was a dream. A fucking scary nightmare. Anytime now it would end. So why did the pain feel so real?

A figure emerged from the bile. Then another. Loads more. Kevin couldn't tell if they were a man or a woman; the features on their humanoid shapes were melted pretty much everywhere. They shambled closer, zombies in the miasma and burning lava. Their mouths(?) groaned open, their voices hellish, and full of suffering.

"_Kevin…"_

Again and again, they moaned out his name. Their limbs grabbed on to him, and they smushed their faces(?) to his. They smelled horrible. He wanted to puke but realized the lower half of his body was gone. He could no longer feel his legs or feet, all up to his waist. He sank into the acid. The figures dogpiled into him, like rabid, obsessive fangirls molesting his chest, neck, and ears.

A whirlpool sucked them into another tunnel. The intestines. Ries' pushed and pulled him through the diabolically long track, the figures still wrapped around him with their sticky arms and licking, melted tongues.

What was next? Mouth, then throat, then intestine, then…

Kevin looked up and saw the sphincter open. He saw a toilet bowl outside in the light. Slowly, it zoomed closer. Ries sat down.

He screamed.

* * *

"AAHHHHHHH!"

Violently waking up, Kevin hit the back of his head in surprise. He was sitting in the captain's chair of the _Merkabah_. All around him, his crew worked as they made their way towards their next destination. They paid no heed to his sudden scream.

"Hah…" His brow sweated profusely. He looked to his arms. Still whole. He moved his legs. Still attached. He sighed a huge sigh of relief.

"What's the matter, Kevin?"

He flinched. The voice was the same one from his nightmare. Ries tilted her head at him, a questioning look to her face as she munched on a piece of bread.

"J-just a nightmare… Sorry," Kevin said.

"That's why I told you eating all those chocolates was a bad idea." Ries glared at him. If he had to guess, she was also pouting underneath the bread stuck to her mouth. "You could have at least given me half of it…"

Right. Whiskey chocolates Wazy gave to him as a gift. He had no choice, really. If he didn't eat it all at once, his gluttonous squire would have. They were delicious, by the way.

A crackling of dough. He stared at the innocent-looking sister happily eating a gingerbread man. Ries tilted her head again, a giant question mark hovering above her.

"Just to be sure," Kevin said. "This ain't just another dream, right?"

"I donm think sho?" Ries answered.

"Really sure?"

Swallowing, Ries grabbed him by the hand and held it up to hers. "I'm sure," she said.

She chomped on his wrist. "See? Yerr purfectly ffine."

Perfectly fine, he repeated in his mind. At least the image of Ries biting his hand was cute. It was probably just paranoia. He yanked his arm back.

_Pop._

"Eh?"

A stub appeared where his wrist should be. It didn't bleed. Ries held the fingers of his detached hand and chewed on the palm. Flesh crunched on teeth as if a savory meal.

…

Licking her lips, Ries blinked. "What?"

Kevin fainted.

* * *

**Wrote this as a transition chapter from violent nightmare fuel back to whatever this is.**

**Reviews, favs, and follows are appreciated **

**See ya.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Fragment Chapter: Blazing Sylphid**

* * *

"WATCH OUT!"

Before Machias could even finish, the sidecar swerved dangerously to the left, barely scraping by a jackal-like monster on the road. Another bump sent him flying off his seat. He grabbed on to the railings for dear life.

"Stop worrying, Machias," Fie shouted through the loud rumbling of the engine. "I got this!"

The orbal bike roared, and like a metal devil, it sped through the highways west of Trista. Far, FAR above the speed limit, if Machias could add. Unfortunately though, he was under the mercy of the silver-haired demon at the helm.

Fie leaned the bike into a wheelie as they rounded a hairpin curve, defying all concept of safety and proper road etiquette. "YAHOO!"

Machias screamed.

* * *

Was Trista always this blurry? Were there really that many trees or did he still have double vision? Why were his glasses crooked? Machias had spent the better half of his morning combing his hair right to appear professional, yet now it jutted out in a windblown mess.

Fie took a long gulp of her carbonated juice and belched. She gazed at him gleefully, befitting her small stature. "That was fun."

His brow twitched. "It definitely WAS NOT! Do you have _any_ idea how many traffic regulations you broke today?!"

She blinked.

"No, you don't."

"Relax. I got the guild's permission. It wouldn't be much of a test if I didn't make it go as fast as I can."

Machias fumed. "That doesn't excuse you from violating the law! What's even worse: I could've DIED!"

Covering her ears, Fie crouched low and hummed a tune.

"Fie, I swear—!"

"Machias? Fie?" a youthful voice spoke from behind them in the station. "What are you guys doing here?"

Glancing around, Machias recognized the confused face of one of his friends. The orange tuft of hair under his hat and the violin case at his feet further gave it away. "Elliot?"

"Hi," Fie greeted. "I thought you were in Heimdallr?"

"I was… but then I had to run an errand to Trista and now," Elliot said. He looked away, his mouth in an awkward smile. "I sorta missed my train back. Heh heh."

"You're gonna be late?" Fie asked with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Yeah. I need to be back before the next train arrives…"

Fie grinned. Cold sweat dripped down Machias' face when she leaned towards him. "He's gonna be late, Machias. Should we?"

"Fie, no."

"Fie, _yes. _Say Elliot, what if we said today's your lucky day, and that you won't be late all thanks to your lovely friends?"

"I won't?" Elliot asked innocently. "You guys have a ride?"

Fie nodded.

Machias was less than inviting. "Elliot, trust me man. You do NOT want to do this. Refuse this she-devil's offer. Be late. Save yourself. Don't—!"

Pain shot up his temple as Fie tugged on his ear. "Don't listen to him," she said.

"Well, if you insist," Elliot said with a wide smile. "It can't be _that_ bad. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Yup," Fie answered, eyes half-lidded and expression malevolent with desire. "Leave everything to me~."

Accepting his fate, Machias sighed. At least he'd have someone now to accompany him to the grave.

* * *

**Cue intense manly screaming.**

**Reviews, Favs and Follows are appreciated.**

**See ya.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Fragment Chapter: Leeve's Sexiest Man**

* * *

Something was off, Rean thought. Sure, he _may _have overslept, and he _may _have skipped breakfast, but that wasn't out of the ordinary.

Another giggle came from his left, belonging to a female student he didn't recognize. With a blushful bow, she skipped down the hallway to her assigned classroom. Rean wanted to call out to her, but he couldn't place a name on the freshman quite yet.

The school year had only just begun, after all.

New classes, fresh faces, a different spin on last year's lectures. Rean sighed inwardly. The faculty had a lot of work to do, so it brought him some measure of relief when familiar faces showed up at the office. Randy, Towa, Michael, Crow, and even Fie, on paid voluntary bracer service for the school.

...Come to think of it, they were all acting weirdly around him this morning too.

Randy was nodding and giving him a thumbs up.

Towa blinked, but smiled sweetly at him a moment later, unsure of what to say.

Michael was facepalming— nothing really weird there. Though he did seem to drink his coffee a bit more desperately than usual.

Crow looked disgusted and betrayed for a second before he rushed out of the door. A tear was rolling down his cheek.

Fie, on the other hand, had the biggest shit-eating grin on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She then took a selfie with him on her ARCUS. "_See? You look fine~,"_ she said reassuringly.

Turning those words around… Yeah, something was _definitely_ off.

Well, whatever it was, it's too late to do anything about it now. Adjusting his collar, Rean stepped inside Class VII's room and mentally prepared himself for another brutal day as their homeroom teacher.

Juna gasped.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Rean asked. In retrospect, Juna was the best person to ask; her bluntness had saved him from a couple of embarrassing situations before.

She pointed a trembling finger at him and stammered. A searing blush burned her face. "I-I-Instructor— Are those— ?!"

Before Juna could say anything else, Musse flew from her seat and covered her friend's mouth. "Did you have a fun night, Instructor~?" she asked in a Musse-standard flirtatious tone.

"Probably not as fun as what you're imagining," Rean half-deflected. He glanced around the room. A quiet, small room with one vacant chair. "I see everyone except Ash is here. We'll start in five minutes."

"Heehee, take _all _the rest you need~," Musse said, leering as she reined in a thrashing Juna.

A typical morning, Rean would say.

He felt a pair of eyes harrowing him. Altina stared, unblinking, with a hand to her chin. Observing would be more accurate— as if the man in front of her was a curious animal. "Your obscenities truly knows no bounds, Instructor," she muttered.

Why, and what obscenities, Rean could honestly never tell.

Maybe the only student who respected him as a decent human being would know. "Mind telling me what's going on, Kurt?" he asked the quiet Vander.

Kurt also stared incredulously. "...Have you looked into a mirror this morning, Instructor?"

"No… I haven't…" Rean answered.

Juna thrashed louder.

…

"I'll be right back— "

Shooting out into the hallway, Rean made a beeline for the nearest restroom. Or would have, if it weren't for his every step making him flinch when another girl swooned. Then another, and another. He shoved the door open, and horror befell his eyes the moment he saw his reflection in the mirror.

Scandalous red marks wreathed his neck.

_No no no no no no no no no…_

"Sup, teach— " Ash greeted, book in hand while slouching against the wall of the restroom. His smile grew wider upon seeing Rean's medal of valor. Smiling, but his expression failed to hide his disdain. "_Damn, _that's bold of you. How many girls did you bang this time?"

"No!"

"_Instructor Schwarzer. Instructor Claussell," _Headmaster Aurelia's voice boomed out from the intercom. "_Come see me in my office. __**Right. This. Instant."**_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

**Reputation -1. Poor Rean, can't get a break.**

**Sorry for the lack of updates. College was and is hectic.**

**Reviews, favorites, and follows are appreciated. Especially in the last chapter.**

**See ya.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Gift Fragment Chapter: Paradise**

* * *

She had always been proud of how much effort she put into things, such that people called her a genius.

"Ouch…"

Not this time.

She got pricked again. Not deep, but it still annoyed her. Blood glistened like little pearls as it squeezed through that tiny hole. It would only take a couple of minutes for a healing balm to get rid of the pain— it was only a hassle to wait. She wrapped another band-aid around her finger. It was the third one now.

Annoying— but why? Sewing wasn't all that foreign to her; she loved it— excelled at it. Her hobby had been to decorate her room with all sorts of cute plushies she made herself. So why? Why were these four dolls so hard to make?

She went over their designs twice over. She bought only the best fabrics for their clothes and only the fluffiest of cotton for their stuffings. She used her favorite silk thread and sewing needle, but her hands trembled clumsily as if her body itself refused to create.

...Maybe it's because they were only dolls.

Something broiled in her stomach and a nauseous headache made her want to vomit. Acid and salt coated her tongue. She retched louder.

It was always so salty.

So disgusting, so vile. Every day, she was forced to drink it. Every time, she was forced to swallow that defiling cream else she'd get beaten. Even when she begged, she wasn't safe from the cruel lashes. The choking binds. The merciless gut-punches. The creepy clothes. The sticky beds. The icky biting. The relentless pulling of her arms and hair as she laid there for them to abuse at their pleasure. Over and over and over and over, every hour, every minute, every agonizing second— nonstop, passed around to the next stinking person in line like some sort of precious… doll.

"I'M NOT A DOLL...!"

…

She blinked. She was at home, sitting on the clean sofa in her living room. Not elsewhere. The doll in her hand stared at her— or would have, had she finished sewing in its eyes. She gently put it aside and wiped the snot dripping down her mouth.

Her throat felt parched. Thankfully, the kitchen was nearby. Pouring herself a glass, she drank it in big gulps. It tasted fresh and sweet. Syrupy.

The water of life. She spat it out.

Ah, she made a mess. She was taught to always clean up after herself. The mop was in the nearby closet if she recalled.

She couldn't move. Her legs shook until they eventually gave up on letting her stand. She grabbed on to the sink. Sweat trickled down her brows and cheek.

Cheek? Oh. They were tears.

She took a deep breath and slowly pulled herself back up. Right, she spilled water all over the floor. She should clean it up before anyone saw. She did so quickly enough.

Manual labor always calmed her down— it's why she volunteered to do all the household chores herself. To keep herself sane.

And a mug of hot chocolate too. She took a sip and plopped back down on the sofa. The unfinished doll stared at her with a button-eye dangling from its face.

"..."

The chocolate was tasty. The sofa was comfy. She's lived in a bright house now, filled with love, adoration, and many more blessed things. But...

They weren't.

They never knew what it was like to grow up happy. They didn't know what it was like to be hugged by people that cared for you with all their heart; to be surrounded by those same people that would do everything to protect you. People who would never bring you misery or suffering. People who would bring instead lots of different emotions she had never felt as a child.

No. They were cold. They were sad. All of them were gone.

She killed them. They were lonely. Forever.

She got back to work.

* * *

Was it enough? She tried her best to make them look as they were in her memories. Would they be satisfied?

Probably not.

She laid the dolls right next to the grave. A snow-covered grave, near their house. It was well-maintained, obviously because it meant a lot to the family. She didn't meet the person buried there, but she could tell that she was a wonderful person for having given birth to a wonderful daughter.

"Miss Lena," she prayed. It was a pretty name. "Please take care of these children. Each and every one of them is wonderful, like you, Estelle, and Joshua. Please look after them in your family heaven, so that they would keep on smiling and smiling. I promise to be a good girl and keep smiling as well."

But… why can't she muster up the motivation to? She tried, yet it felt plastic to her cheeks. She sighed at the lonely dolls. Snowflakes fell atop their heads, soon to dampen their hair like droplets of rain.

They must feel really cold.

She should go back.

Muffled steps approached her before she could move. Were they home already? They weren't supposed to come home today but— did she leave the door unlocked? Oh no.

They were frowning.

In her panic, she forgot to smile. She already broke her promise.

The scolding never came. Instead, a hand patted her head, and slender arms hugged her tightly. "We're home," Estelle said. Estelle's cheeks were flushed, and she stank a bit of sweat from the arduous day of being a bracer. But, her body was warm.

She liked warm.

Joshua stroked her hair. He didn't talk much, but she liked his coolness. His amber eyes weren't hollow anymore as she remembered them to be. They sparkled with newfound life.

"Did you finish them?" Estelle asked.

She mewled in agreement. She did finish them, just like she said she would.

Joshua took out a colorful striped paper bag. "I guess we should give them our present, too."

A cotton scarf curled around her neck. It was warm, too. And colorful like the bag. She liked warm. She had an idea. Would they like it? Would Estelle and Joshua like it? Would they allow it? It was their present, after all.

Estelle and Joshua nodded.

Unfurling her scarf, she warped it around the dolls until all four of them cuddled under its soft, yet sturdy fabrics. It was long enough that she could wrap it around the gravestone. They could be warm now, like her.

There were four dolls: two girls, two boys. One girl had cheerful brown hair, while the other had smooth and silky black. They were always the best of friends and would often play together even though they could never be more opposite each other. A small boy peeked from their side. He was shy, but it was fine; he loved being cuddled too.

Last but not least, their leader, the tallest boy, hugged them all. He was protecting them, as a leader should.

That's right. She was the one protecting them now. Protecting their memory. They were in paradise. A paradise of her, and her new family's creation. She wouldn't let anyone dare to lay a finger on it.

She read the tiny words embroidered on the scarf.

_'We love you, Renne.'_

Fitting. She couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

**Ho**.


	21. Chapter 21

**Wonderland - Part 1**

* * *

I was twelve years old when I fell in love. It wasn't captivating or as cheesy as the ones in the books Mr. Guy gave to me, but, in an awkward sort of way, it felt special.

Strange. I thought that my days alone had purged me of all these bubbly emotions. I thought, because of what happened, I could never smile again. My face froze into an apathetic scowl, and eventually, that was what I was known for to my colleagues.

Yet, every time I look at this round and adorable creature... that face just melts.

I love it. I love him. His pointy ears, his expressive eyebrows, his long fluffy tail, his lucky smile knitted into his cute and precious cheeks. I love all of him.

"Can we go?!" I asked Chief Roberts while stellarly shoving a piece of paper to his face. It was a flyer. News has it that Mishy— the thing I fell in love with— was going to be a mascot for an in-development theme park in Crossbell called Mishelam Wonderland. I wished it was closer to Leman but even so, I just HAD to go there. As soon as it opened. Nothing would stop me from petting Mishy in person. Nothing.

Chief Roberts was... less than enthusiastic. "No."

I was devastated. The chief explained to me that the Foundation would be in the middle of a business crunch in the next few months. Meaning lots of extraneous meetings, project developments, field testing, etc. On paper, he was right, but according to my calculations, if everyone worked in peak condition the team would have a weekend free, at the least. One weekend was more than enough time. Maybe not as soon as MWL opened, but it still counted.

Chief Roberts solemnly shook his head. He looked far more dejected than even me. Clearly, he wanted to go with me, but I guess the Foundation would really be too busy at that time.

Is this what it felt like to be heartbroken? If I worked extra hard, then maybe my chances of going would increase. I asked again the week after. Rejected again. I asked every Sunday since— Chief Roberts still said no. Somehow, the more we busied ourselves, the more work seemed to come piling in. It just felt endless…

A month before the grand opening, I still wanted to go. I gave up on asking the chief— couldn't stand him anymore. Instead, I started saving up a portion of my allowance every week to afford the exorbitant entrance fee. I also needed money for food, airship tickets, one night's stay in an inn, and, most importantly, Mishy merchandise. I wouldn't be able to save up to go on any of the attractions, although I could live with that. I just wanted to be there to experience Mishy's cuteness firsthand.

And so, the day before MWL was set to open, under the (fake) pretense of visiting my parents, I boarded an airship bound not for Remiferia, but for Crossbell. I intended to spend the night in the city and visit tomorrow, however…

Something happened that I hadn't been able to anticipate.

Of all the neglectful times my parents never bothered to check up on me, they just _had_ to go and visit the Foundation as soon as I had left for Crossbell. My cover blown, Chief Roberts frantically contacted me on my laptop terminal and demanded an explanation. I wanted to ghost him outright, but with my parents involved, as well as my livelihood and reputation within the Foundation, I couldn't.

Game Over. Chief Roberts ordered me to return to Leman first thing in the morning as I got off the airship late into the night. Fortunate— considering I could barely move from my inn bed. Exhaustion and bitterness getting the better of me, I slowly closed my eyes and tried to forget what awaited me tomorrow. So close...

Just like that, my brief trip to Crossbell came to an end.

…

"What a bother."

I couldn't sleep.

How can I? I wasn't fine with it at all. I was here. MWL was literally at my metaphorical doorstep. If I had a bit more time, I could…

Time?

It was nearing ten. To my knowledge, the ferries crossing Lake Elm were still operating at this hour. The Crossbell waterfront was only a ten-minute walk away from my inn— five if I ran.

I got up without a hint of hesitation.

I threw on my jacket before making my way out of the room. To avoid drawing suspicion, I hid my hair with a black newsboy cap I brought along with me. My flat chest and petite stature made it easy for others to mistake me for a boy, which made walking around unsupervised easier. Gliding down the stairwell, I gave a quick greeting to the inn owner before sprinting towards the waterfront.

Dazzling city lights bombarded me on all sides as I ran. Businesses thrived, as was usual for a capitalist-driven economy like Crossbell. I couldn't take more than five steps before a salesman called my attention. They were fishing for an easy sell from an unsuspecting kid like me with their cheap smiles and feigned concern. I ignored them and kept running, my legs nimbly guiding me through the densely crowded streets— a far cry from my usual unathletic self, even if I mostly got through due to my enhanced senses.

Three minutes to ten and I saw it: the long line of people in front of the docks. The ferry was just about to leave as indicated by the busser calmly instructing people to hurry along. Taking my chance, I carefully blended myself with the boarding passengers. The chances of authorities learning of a kid trying to sneak in the boat were high, so I passed my fare around as subtly as I can. With a little bit of luck, the crew might see me as just an ordinary passenger; they wouldn't want to delay a trip on such a busy night, after all. Those that bothered to look under my cap were met with my frosty glare that quietly scared them away.

Operation success. I got through the first hurdle with relative ease. Perhaps it was destiny or fate, or maybe the Goddess took pity on me today. In any case, I could hardly believe it. The gentle waves rocking the boat, along with the sweet lake breeze touching my cheeks made me realize this was all real. I felt my face strain from a smile I wasn't able to contain. I saw the glistening sky reflected off of Lake Elm.

I wasn't much for sentiment, but I admired the beauty. I was a scientist. Science was full of beauty. It was our profession to explain the world around us in beautiful formulas in lieu of words. How then would science explain this beautiful feeling I felt in my chest? My heart wouldn't stop thumping; I felt like I could pass out. My body shook with excitement as if it was. I breathed a sigh of relief an old man would after achieving his dream after a lifetime of work. Mishelam Wonderland was, after all, the place where dreams became reality.

I was actually going to Mishelam Wonderland. THE Mishelam Wonderland. The paradise for Mishy fans everywhere.

It wasn't open yet, though. Oh well.

* * *

I hopped out of the ferry and made a passing glance towards the guard stationed there. I assume that because of the late hours or the prospect of his shift tomorrow being hectic, he looked about ready to clock in. His tired eyes didn't even squint when I waltzed past him and into the resort area.

Another guard stood in front of the gates to the park— one last obstacle between me and Mishy. Figures. Before flashed a light on me, I ducked behind some bushes nearby. Negotiating with him had an evaluated success rate of negative one-hundred percent, and I highly doubted that pleading would be effective either, so I was faced with two options: turn back, or find a way to sneak inside.

The first one held no merit for me nor was I intending to go back empty-handed anyway. Surveying my surroundings, I racked my brain of possible ways I could distract the guard long enough for me to sneak past him. A few minutes of silence went by without me coming up with a reasonable plan. Most were either too dangerous or had a high risk of me getting caught, so I tossed them aside. There must be something I could do— an object I could use. My ears twitched as my hearing picked up on the subtle noise of the guard walking back and forth from his post.

A split second after, a noise brought me out of my trance. It sounded like glass shattering. A light deep in the park dimmed.

The guard heard it too and ran towards the source of the noise. I didn't second guess my assumptions: an orbal lamppost shattered suddenly for whatever reason. I didn't ponder on why, though; it was my chance. Taking care not to snap any branches, I jumped out of the bushes and squeezed myself through the gates, barely slipping past the guard as he made his way back towards the entrance.

Another success. One good thing after another. My luck was implausible.

I took cautionary steps forward and focused my hearing in case another guard was patrolling lit walkways. There were a few, but I could tell they weren't close to where I was— at least not yet. I was free to wander around the park for the time being. And that I did.

Wonderland was just as wonderful as the name implied.

In the center of the plaza, a flowerbed artistically framed as Mishy's head greeted me with a smile. I smiled back and waved a trembling hand. The flowers smelled fragrant and inviting, like Mishy himself. I had to hold myself back from jumping into them.

Which reminds me. Bundled along with the flyers was a tourist map detailing MWL's various attractions. If I looked to my right, I'd chance upon a hill leading up to the park's horror mansion. Straight ahead from the plaza would be where most of the recreational rides like the merry-go-round were located, while going left would take me the refreshment stands and souvenir shops selling all kinds of merchandise. I definitely had to stop there before I leave. Past the shops led to the park's Ferris wheel. I could actually see it from where I am, a massive black silhouette against the night sky. Each car can carry up to two people, making it a prime target for couples.

'Where should I go first?' I felt so excited that I couldn't breathe. I squealed in joy as I ran from one place to the next. Naturally, all of the attractions were Mishy-themed. Some even had statues of Mishy built into them. If I saved up for an orbal camera, I would have taken pictures of all of them.

I spent the better part of an hour like that, stopping only to the many Mishys scattered throughout the park. On occasion, staff members working on last-minute preparations or a patrolling guard forced me to hide— but even that didn't sour my mood. I was just ecstatic. Everything in the park felt magical. Even if the place was half abandoned, being surrounded by the festive decor hung up for tomorrow's celebration made my entire trip worth it.

I'm glad I came here.

My legs were about ready to give in, so I decided to stop by the park's rest area. Gulping down a bottled juice I packed for the trip, I collapsed atop one of the soft wooden benches. I've already taken a look at all the rides. After a short five minute break, I'll browse the merch in some of the souvenir shops and—

...Soft?

Something warm and alive fidgeted under my butt. It didn't make a sound— I did. Thankfully, I covered my mouth to cover my yelp. It had probably been my fault, but I glared daggers at the offending creature, hoping that the darkness masked the blush burning my face.

I did not expect it to be a person: A girl with silver hair, sleeping soundly on the bench.


End file.
